THE 


CAPTURE, 


THE 


HISTORY  OF  PRISON  LIFE  IN  THE  SOUTH, 

PRINCIPALLY  AT 

BICHMOND,  DANVILLE,  MACON,  SAVANNAH,  CHARLESTON,  COLUMBIA,  BELLE 

I8LE,    MILLIN,   SALISBURY,    AND    ANDERSONVILLE :     DESCRIBING 

THE   ARRIVAL   OF    PRISONKRS,  PLANS   OF   ESCAPE,  WITH 

NUMEROUS    AND    VARIED    INCIDENTS    AND 

ANECDOTES  OF  PUISON  LIFE; 

EMBRACING,  ALSO, 
THE    ADVENTURES    OF    THE    AUTHOR'S    ESCAPE    FROM 

COLUMBIA,    S.    C.,    HKCAPTURE,     SUBSEQUENT     KSCAPB, 

KKCAPTUKE,  TRIAL   AS   SPY,  AND   FINAL   ESCAPE 

FUO11  SYLVANIA,  GEORGIA. 


BY    WILLARD    W.    GLAZIER, 

BEKVET  CAPTAIN  NEW  YORK  VOL.  CAVALKT. 


"  W»  tpedk  that  vie  do  know,  and  testify  that  we  have  teen," 


HAKTFOED,   CONN.: 

H.    E.    GOODWIN, 

1869. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1865,  ty 
WILLAKD  W.  GLAZIER, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the  Northera 
District  of  New  York. 


Manufactured    by 
CASE,     LOOK  WOOD     &     BRAINARD, 


TO 

THE  WIDOWS,  CHILDREN,  FATHERS, 

MOTHERS,  BROTHERS,  SISTERS,  FRIENDS,  AND 

SURVIVING  COMRADES 


tfje  Snjousatvbs  of  Brafce 


WHO  LEFT  THE  PLEASURES  AND  COMFORTS  OF  HOME, 

ABANDONED  CHERISHED  ENTERPRISES 

AND  BUSINESS  SCHEMES 

FOB  THE  PURPOSE  OF  SERVING  THEIB  COUNTRY, 

* 

AND  WHO  HAVE  BEEN  CAPTURED  BY  THE  ENEMY  WHILE  IH 
THE  FAITHFUL  PERFORMANCE  OF  THEIR  DUTY, 

AND  GONE  DOWN 

TO   UNTIMELY  GRAVES  THROUGH  UNPARALLELED  SUFFERINGS, 
IS  THIS  VOLUME  MOST  RESPECTFULLY 

DEDir 

THE  AUTHOR. 


"Hallow  ye  each  unmarked  grave, 

Make  their  memory  sure  and  blest; 
IPor  their  lives  they  nobly  gave 
And  their  spirits  are  at  rest," 


PREFACE. 


THE  following  pages  are  offered  to  inquiring 
minds  with  the  hope  that  they  may  throw  some 
light  upon  the  inhuman  treatment  we  received  in 
Southern  Prisons. 

They  do  not  pretend  to  give  a  complete  history 
of  Prison-Life  in  the  South  —  only  a  part.  Others 
are  contributing  sketches  for  the  dark  picture,  which 
at  the  best,  can  but  poorly  illustrate  the  fearful 
atrocities  of  our  brutal  keepers. 

The  multiplied  woes  of  the  battle-field,  the  suf 
ferings  of  the  sick  and  wounded  in  hospitals  which 
the  Federal  Government  has  established,  might 
almost  be  considered  the  enjoyments  of  Paradise, 
when  compared  with  the  heart-rending  and  pro 
longed  agonies  of  Captives  in  Rebel  Stockades. 

Sad  and  painful  as  it  seems  in  the  former  case, 
there  are  a  great  variety  of  mitigating  circumstances 
which  tend  to  soothe  the  feelings  as  we  contemplate 
them.  Their  sufferings  are  of  comparatively  short 
duration,  surrounded  as  they  azv  by  tfastr  who 


VI  PREFACE. 

never  tire  in  .their  efforts  to  provide  comfort  and 
relief.  Members  of  the  numerous  humane  societies 
can  visit  them  and  attend  to  their  wanls ;  but  in  the 
latter  case  they  have  passed  the  boundary  which 
bars  them  from  all  these  things. 

We  are  even  led  to  conclude,  by  the  usage  which 
we  have  received  at  the  hands  of  our  captors,  that 
it  was  their  deliberate  intention  to  maim,  and  there 
by  render  us  completely  unfit  .for  future  service. 
They  have  seen  us,  with  apparent  satisfaction,  be 
come  so  much  reduced  in  clothing  as  to  have  scarcely 
rags  for  a  covering;-  they  have  condemned  us  to 
hunger  and  thirst,  pain  and  weariness,  affliction 
and  misery  in  every  conceivable  form,  so  that  thou 
sands  of  our  unfortunate  fellow-beings  have  anx 
iously  awaited  the  approach  of  the  King  of  Terrors 
as  the  arrival  of  a  welcome  friend  that  had  come  to 
bring  them  a  happy  release. 

In  the  absence  of  much  information  on  this  sub 
ject,  it  is  impossible  for  me  to  give  an  exact  account 
of  the  number  of  deaths  in  Rebel  Prisons.  Still, 
if  we  consider  the  statements  of  several  who  have 
reduced  their  calculations  to  figures,  we  may  arrive 
at  a  more  correct  conclusion  than  we  otherwise 
should.  Robert  II.  Kellogg,  Sergeant-Major,  IGth 
Connecticut  Volunteers,  who  was  at  Andersonville 
and  Florence,  says  the  deaths  at  the  latter  place 
were  twelve  per  cent,  per  month.  Mr.  Richardson, 


PREFACE.  Vli 

correspondent  of  the  "New-York  Tribune,"  says  it 
was  thirteen  per  cent,  at  Salisbury  for  the  same 
time.  There  were  13,000  deaths  at  Andersonville. 
Mr.  Kellogg  affirms  that  one-half  of  his  regiment 
captured,  died  in  about  seven  months.  Let  us 
suppose  that  the  prisoners  will  average  25,000 
from  January  1,  1862,  to  January  1,  1865,  and  the 
deaths  to  be  nine  per  cent,  per  month,  or  2,250 ; 
then  multiply  by  thirty-six  mouths,  and  we  have 
81,000  deaths.  Had  we  been  provided  with  such 
clothing,  shelter,  and  food  as  the  laws  of  health 
absolutely  require,  it  is  probable  that  there  would 
not  have  been  more  than  one-eighth  of  the  actual 
number  of  deaths.  Hence,  we  conclude  that  70,- 
875  have  fallen  victims  to  inhuman  treatment.  My 
figures  with  regard  to  the  number  of  prisoners  and 
the  percentage  of  deaths  may  be  too  large;  but 
allowing  that  my  estimates  are  nearly  right,  the 
awful  carnage  of  the  battle-field  has  not  exceeded 
the  frightful  mortality  of  the  Prison-Pen.  Whether 
the  Rebels  have  intentionally  murdered  our  unfortu 
nate  soldiers  or  not,  I  leave  the  reader  to  decide. 

I  had  no  thoughts  of  publishing  a  book  until 
several  weeks  after  my  escape.  I  kept  a  diary 
ind  journal  from  the  time  of  my  capture.  Upon 
reading  portions  of  it  to  some  of  my  friends,  they 
persuaded  me  to  amplify,  and  put  it  in  a  readable 
form. 


Vlil  PREFACE. 

The  rough  manuscript  was,  for  the  most  pail, 
written  during  my  imprisonment  at  Columbia, 
sitting  on  the  ground,  and  writing  on  my  knee. 
Captain  Kelly,  1st  Kentucky  Cavalry,  brought  a 
part  of  that  manuscript  through  the  lines  by  con 
cealing  it  in  the  crown  of  an  old  regulation  hat, 
which  he  wore  during  his  escape.  I  smuggled  the 
remainder  through  in  the  lining  of  my  jacket. 

The  Appendix  is  principally  the  work  of  Robert 
J.  Fisher,  late  captain  17th  Missouri  Volunteers, 
being  taken  from  his  lithograph,  entitled  the  "Lib- 
by  Prison  Memorial."  To  these,  as  well  as  those 
friends  who  have  expressed  an  interest  in  the  work, 
and  in  various  ways  aided  in  promoting  it,  my  sin 
cere  thanks  are  tendered. 

WILLARD  W.  GLAZIER. 

ALBANY,  N.  Y,,  November  12,  1865. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

The  Author's  Enlistment  and  Service  in  the  Field —Federal  Defeat  at 
Bull  Run  — Northern  Patriotism  —  The  President's  Call  —  Organiza 
tion  of  the  Harris  Light  Cavalry  — Ordered  to  Washington  — Encamp 
ment  at  Munson's  Hill  —  At  Arlington  Heights — McClellan's  Advance 
to  Manassas  — Transfer  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  to  the  Peninsula 

—  The  Harris  Light  Remains  with  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  — 
McDowell's  Advance  to  the  Rappahannock  —  Night  Attack  at  Fal- 
mouth  — Occupation  of  Fredericksburg  — Raids  during  the  Spring  and 
Summer  of  1862  — The  Harris  Light  Ordered  to  join  Gen.  Pope's  Forces 
at  Culpepper— Battle  of  Cedar  Mountain  — The  Peniusular  Campaign 
Abandoned  — First  Cavalry  Fight  at  Brandy  Station  — Bull  Run  No.  2 

—  The  Campaign  in  Maryland  and  Pennsylvania — Battle  of  Freder 
icksburg  —  Death  of  Gen.  Bayard  — Kilpatrick's  Raid  around  Lc«'8 
Army — Second  Cavalry  Engagement  at  Brandy  Station  —  Fighting  the 
Rebel  Gen.  Stuart  at  Aldie,  Middleburg,  and  Upperville  —  Second  Cam 
paign  in  Maryland  and  Pennsylvania  — Gettysburg — Captures  on  the 
Kight  of  July  4th— Lee's  Retreat  to  the  Rapidan       .       .       .       .        19 


CHAPTER  II. 

The  Capture  — Situation  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  in  October,  1863 

—  Gen.  Meade  thought  equal  to  the  Emergency  —  Action  of  the  Rebels 

—  Gen.  Lee's  Flank  Movement  — Cavalry  Fight  at  James  City— The 
Army  retires  to  Manassas  —  Cavalry  Fight  at  Brandy  Station  — The 
Grand  Charge  — Gallant  Conduct  of  Gens.  Kilpatrick  and  Davies  — 
The  Rebel  Lines  Broken  — Kilpatrick  joins  Buford— A  third  Engage 
ment  anticipated  on  the  old  Bull  Run  Battle-field  —  Great  Alarm  caused 
by  the  Accidental  Burning  of  an  Ammunition  Wagon  —  Preparations 
for  Battle  — The  Battle  of  Bristoe  — The  Federal  Arms  Victorious  — 
A  Reconnoissance—  Horses  and  Men  Drowned  while  Fording  Bull  Run 

—  Skirmishing  with  Rebel  Cavalry,  October  18th  — Cavalry  Fight  at 
New  Baltimore—  The  Author's  Horse  shot  under  him  — His  Capture 
and  Lodgement  in  Warrerton  Jail  — March  from  Warrenton  to  Cul- 

1*  9 


X  CONTENTS. 

pepper  — Sufferings  of  the  Prisoners  —  Incidents  at  Culpepper— Re 
moval  to  Orange  Court  House — At  Gordonsville  —  Registering  Names 

—  The  Guard  drunk— An  Issue  of  Rations  — Off  for  Richmond  — Oc 
tober  19  to  October  23,  1863 27 

CHAPTER  Til. 

Libby  Prison— Arrival  in  Richmond  —  Conduct  of  the  Citizens— Gen 
eral  Search  for  Greenbacks  and  other  Valuables  at  Major  Turner's 
Office  —  My  Diary  Saved  by  passing  it  to  a  Friend  —  How  we  were  Re 
ceived  by  the  Prisoners  — Meeting  Officers  of  my  Regiment  — Descrip 
tion  of  the  Prison  — Character  of  Major  Turner— Exchange  Rumors 

—  October  23  to  November  8, 1863 39 

CHAPTER  IY. 

In  the  Hospital  at  Libby— My  Examination  by  the  Rebel  Surgeon— 
Prevailing  Diseases  in  the  Hospital  — Character  of  Physicians  — Ra 
tions  for  the  Sick— Exchange  of  Surgeons  — Sending  Communications 
to  Friends  — Thanksgiving  Day  in  Libby  — Invisible  Ink  — The  Rebels 
discover  the  Secret  — Detention  of  a  Love-letter  —  The  Dead  House  — 
Sad  News  from  Home  — Gen.  Bragg's  Defeat— Plans  for  Escape  — 
Amusements  —  An  Escape  and  its  Consequences  —  Barbarous  Treat 
ment  of  the  Sick— November  8  to  December  16,  1803  4» 


CHAPTER  Y. 

Return  from  the  Hospital  — An  Order  from  Gen.  Winder— More  Ex 
change  Rumors— The  New  Year  in  Libby  — Daily  Allowance  of  Ra 
tions—Punishment  for  Singing  our  National  Songs  —  Captains  Saw 
yer  and  Flynn  — John  Morgan,  the  Rebel  Raider,  visits  Libby— "The 
Great  Yankee  Tunnel"  — Plan  of  Operation  — Conveniences  for  per 
forming  the  Work  — Escape  of  Prisoners— The  Guard  in  Castle  Thun 
der— Roll-call— Discovery  of  the  Tunnel  — Rebel  Accounts  — Kilpat- 
rick's  Attempt  to  release  the  Prisoners  at  Richmond — Death  of  Col. 
Dahlgren— Rebel  Mode  of  treating  Captives  from  Kilpatrick's  com 
mand  —  The  Prison  Undermined  — A  Special  Exchange—"  Exchange 
on  the  Brain  "  —  Arrival  of  Prisoners  from  Plymouth,  N.  C.  —  Gen.  W. 
H.  Wessells  — Mosby,  the  Rebel  Guerrilla,  visits  Libby  — Great  Com 
motion  in  Richmond —  Gen.  Lee  reported  to  be  defeated  —  Notice  from 
Major  Turner  to  be  ready  to  leave  the  Prison  — Each  Man  receives  a 
"Corn  Dodger"  — Farewell  to  Libby— December  16,  1863  to  May  7, 
186i  , 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Arrival  at  Danville — The  Journey— Escapes  from  the  Cars— Firing 
upon  Prisoners  —  An  Attempt  to  disarm  the  Guard  —  Military  Impor 
tance  of  Danville— Rations  —  Sleeping  Spoon-fashion—  News  from  tlie 


CONTENTS.  Xl 

Army — Tunnelling  commenced  —  Gen.  Averill's  Raid — Joy  of  the 
Prisoners  —  Uneasiness  of  the  Rebels  —  Once  more  on  the  Rail  —  From 
Danville  to  Macon— Meeting  Conscripts  for  Lee's  Army— Marching 
in  North  Carolina  Mud  — My  Attempt  to  escape— In  Box-cars  again 

—  An    Unpleasant   Situation —Arrival  at   Charlotte  —  Singing   the 
"  Star-Spangled  Banner"  —  Loyalty  of  the  Citizens  —  An  Issue  of  Ra 
tions—Attempts  to  escape  — Climbing  Trees  and  digging  Holes  in  the 
Ground  — Amusing  Incidents  — From  Charlotte  to  Columbia,  South 
Carolina— From  Columbia  to  Augusta,  Georgia  — From  Augusta  to 
Macon— May  7  to  May  17, 18C4 99 

CHAPTER  VII. 

At  Macon,  Georgia—"  Camp  Oglethorpe"  — Major  Turner  at  Macon- 
The"  Dead  Line''— Firing  upon  a  Prisoner —  New  Arrivals  — Rations 

—  Digging  Tunnels  — Tunnels  Discovered  by  the  Rebels  — Punishment 

—  Appeal  to  Capt.  Gibbs  —  Murder  of  Lieut.  Grierson  — Rebel  Favors   , 

—  New  Tunnels  — Plans  for  Escape  Frustrated  —  Sentinels  Instructed 
to  shoot  Prisoners  — Special  Orders  No.  6  — Personal  Attack  of  the 
Scurvy  —  Fourth  of  July  in  the  Prison-Pen  —  Music,  Speeches,  Toasts, 
etc.  — The  Miniature  Star-Spangled  Banner  — The  Prison  Authorities 
March  in  a  Battalion  of  Armed  Men  and  Compel  us  to  Disperse  — 
Special  Orders  No.  9  — My  Illness  — Selling  Buttons  to  save  Life  — 
Removal  of  Prisoners  —  May  17  to  July  29,  1864        ....        HO 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Savannah,  Georgia—"  Camp  Davidson  "—Gen.  Stoneman's  Raid— Kind 
Treatment  at  Savannah  —  A  Comparison  of  Rebel  Prisons  —  Better 
Rations —Brick  Ovens— Tunnelling  —  Our  Scheme  Exposed  by  a 
Cow  — Joy  without  Death  within  the  Stockade  — Inhumanity  of  Col. 
Wayne  —  "  Nothing  but  a  Damned  Yankee  "  —  Kindness  of  Ladies  — 
Amusements  —  The  pursuit  of  Knowledge  Under  Difficulties  —  Off 
for  Charleston  —  July  29  to  September  12,  1861 131 


CHAPTER  IX. 

At  Charleston  — "  Under' Fire"  —  Arrival  in  the  City  — Our  March 
Down  Coming  Street—  In  the  Jail  Yard  —  Charleston  Jail  and  its  In 
mates —  Sufferings  of  the  Negro  Prisoners  —  A  Friend  —  Inclhied  to 
be  Distrustful  —  An  act  of  True  Nobleness  —  Genuine  Patriotism  — 
A  Higher  Language  than  the  Written  — The  Last  Visit—  Negro  Melo 
dies—Meeting  Prisoners  from  Andersonville  — Their  Stories  —  The 
Ground  a  Mass  of  Lice— Awful  Condition  of  the  Hospital  — Great 
Suffering— Living  Death— A  Captain  Recognizes  a  Member  of  his 
Company  just  at  the  Point  of  Death  —  Prisoners  Die  after  being  told 
they  are  not  in  need  of  Medical  Treatment  — A  Thunder  Storm  — 
Refused  A dmission  to  the  Jail  — September  12  to  September  ^9,  1804  142 


XI 1  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  X. 

Roper  Hospital—  The  Parole  —  Better  Prospects  —  The  Burnt  District 

—  Shells  a  Subject  of  Discussion  —  Morris  Island  —  The  Swamp  Angel 

—  Shelling  the  City  —  Sisters  of  Charity  —  Yellow  Fever— Our  En- 
-v  listed  Men  on  Charleston  Race  Course  —  Orders  to"  Pack  up"  —  Gen. 

Foster's  Retaliation  has  a  Good  Effect  —  Farewell  to  Charleston- 
Poem  by  Lieut.  J.  Ogden— September  29  to  October  5,  1804     .       .        101 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Bemoval  to  Columbia,  South  Carolina— Description  of  the  Journey 
from  Charleston  —  Cattle  Cars  Defined  —  Kindness  of  the  Guard  — 
Arrival  at  Columbia  —  Bayoneting  a  Prisoner  — A  Terrific  Rain  Storm 

—  Peace  Movements  —  Practical  Infamy  of  the  Rebels  —  They  urge 
the  Prisoners  to  take  a  Parole— Threatened  with  Confinement  in  old 
Tobacco  Houses 173 

CHAPTER  XII. 

*'  Camp  Sorghum  " — News  from  the  Army  —  An  Issue  of  Clothing  Re 
ceived  from  our  Sanitary  Commission  — Joy  of  the  Prisoners  — The 
Presidential  Election  —  Political  Discussions  —  Manner  of  Voting  — 
The  Result  — An  Escape —A  Prisoner  Shot  —  Rebel  Eloquence  — 
"Long  Live  the  Dutchman  "—"  Rum  "deprives  him  of  Authority 

—  Thoughts  of  Home  —  Allowed  to  get  Wood  by  taking  a  Parole  — 
My  old  Shoes  — Turning  Night  into  Day  —  A  Prisoner  caught  by 
Hounds  —  Drawing  Meat  Ration  at  "  Camp  Sorghum"  —  Gov.  Brown's 
Proclamation  —  Heavy  Frosts  —  No    Blankets  —  Sleeping  in  the 
Middle  —  No  Prospect   of  an    Exchange  —  Renewed  Determination 

to  Escape  — October  6  to  November  26,  1864 18C 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

The  Escape  from  Columbia— My  Companion— Hailed  by  the  Guard- 
Acting  the  Part  of  Paroled  Prisoners  — Passing  the " Dead  Line"  — 
Meeting  Negroes  — Travelling  with  a  Guide  — Blind  Roads  — Chal 
lenged  by  a  Picket  — "I  dun  no  what  make  dem  Niggers  run  so  "  — 
Ingenuity  of  our  Guide  — Reserve  of  the  Picket— Searching  for  my 
Companion  under  Difficulties  —  Subsisting  upon  Blueberries  —  Appeal- 
ling  to  Sympathy  — Kindness  of  Mrs.  Taylor— A  Negro  Prayer-meet 
ing —  How  we  secured  a  Paper — Crossing  the  North  Edisto — The 
Road  terminates  in  a  Swamp  —  Other  Difficulties — My  Companion's 
Misfortune  —  Pursued  by  Bushwhackers  —  Meeting  Escaped  Prisoners 
at  Aiken— Approaching  a  Negro  — Concealed  in  a  Corn-fodder  House 
— An  Attempt  to  travel  by  Rail  —  We  hear  Cannonading  —  Greatly 
encouri-ged  —  Followed  by  a  Hound  —  A  Happy  Mistake  —  Crossing 
the  Savannah  in  a  Cypress  Canoe  — Bailing  for  Life  — Alligators  — 
The  North  Star  —  Cavalry  Patrol  — A  N.~;gro  Cobbler  repairs  my  Shoes 

—  November  26  to  December  11, 1SG4     , 204 


CONTENTS,  Xlll 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

following  the  Rebel  Army  in  Georgia  — Fording  Streams  — "We  run  to 
prevent  Chilling  — Striking  the  Trail  of  the  Armies  — Appearance  of 
the  Country  —  Pursued  by  Hounds  —  Narrow  Escape  from  Fire  — 
Interview  with  a  Planter  —  He  thinks  me  a  Rebel  Officer  — Rations  in 
the  Pantry  — Inquiring  for  Gen.  Wheeler's  Cavalry  — We  obtain  all  of 
the  Particulars  —  Meeting  Negroes  —  "  De  Planter  was  a  Bush 
whacker  "—  Unpleasant  Predicament— Met  a  Rebel  Officer  by  Acci 
dent —  My  Horse  shot  at  Waynesboro'  —  My  Regiment  the  Third  South 
Carolina  Cavalry  — Discussing  Present  Prospects  —  The  Proposed 
Meeting  at  Mr.  Brown's  — Roasting  Corn  — Accidentally  seen  by  a 
Planter  — A  Critical  Situation— Hounds  on  Track  — Flanking  a  Picket 
—  Duping  Rebel  Couriers  — Crossing  Big  Ebenezer  Creek  — Burying 
one  of  our  own  Soldiers  —  A  Dashing  Ride  on  Horses  left  by  the  Rebel 
Couriers  — Concealed  near  a  Picket— December  11  to  December  16, 
1864  ..  247 


CHAPTER   XV. 

Re-captured  by  a  Rebel  Picket  — The  Challenge  — Arrival  at  the  Reserve 
of  the  Picket  — Regarded  as  a  Yankee  Spy  — Kindness  of  a  Rebel  Sol 
dier —  An  Attempt  to  bribe  the  Guard  —  "  Let 'em  stretch  Hemp"  — 
Apparently  unable  to  walk  — Once  more  in  the  Saddle— The  Escape 
and  Pursuit  —  Recaptured  by  Tcxans  —  At  the  Rebel  Gen.  Wheeler's 
Head-quarters  — Confinement  in  the  County  Jail  at  Springfield,  Geor 
gia— December  10  to  December  20,  1804  265 


CHAPTER,  XVI. 

The  Escape  from  Sylvania,  Georgia— The  Plan  — We  take  Rations  In 
tended  for  the  Rebel  Guard—  Hounds  to  be  put  on  Track  — Confiding 
our  Plans  to  a  Negro  —  Concealed  in  an  old  Pine-tree  Top  —  In  a 
Swamp  near  Springfield  — Rebel  Deserters  — The  Interview  with  Mrs. 
Keyton  — Turning  the  Tables  —  Ill-fated  Dixie  — Gen.  Sherman  just 
where  they  wanted  him— Startled  by  Hounds— Bushwhackers  in  Pur 
suit —  A  Narrow  Escape  —  An  Amusing  Incident — Efforts  to  obtain  a 
Guide  — Colored  Man  No.  3  —  "  I'll  do  it,Massa,  if  God  be  my  Helper" 
—  Approaching  the  Outpost— Within  the  Federal  Lines  —  December 
20  to  December  24, 1804 


CHAPTER  XVIT. 

Homeward  Hound  — Arrival  at  Savannah  —  Not  easily  Identified— Re 
garded  as  Spies  — Pronounced  Genuine  Union  Soldiers  — Unsettled 
State  of  the  Army  — Wright  succeeds  iju  finding  his  Regiment  after  a 
long  Search  — Kindness  of  Capt.  Swallow  —  My  Christmas  Dinner  — 
At  Kilpatrick's  Head-quarters  on  the  Ogeechee  River—  Return  to 


XIV  CONTEXTS. 

Savannah —  Furnished  Transportation  to  New  Yoik  — On  Board  th« 
Steamship  Planter  —  Transferred  to  the  Delaware  —  Arrival  at  Hilton 
Head  — On  Board  the  Ashland— In  a  Gale  off  Cape  Hatteras— Sea 
sickness— Arrival  at  New  York— December  24, 1804,  to  Jan.  4,  1865  308 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

.At  Millen  —  Testimony  of  Sergt.  "W.  Goodyear  — The  Inclosure  — Aver 
age  Number  of  Deaths  per  Day — Daily  Allowance  of  Rations  — 
Excitement  at  the  Presidential  Election— Inducements  to  enter  the 
Rebel  Service 315 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

Salisbury  Prison  —  Experience  of  Mr.  Richardson  —  Great  Suffering  for 
want  of  Bread  and  Shelter  —  "  Give  them  Quarter  Rations  "  —  Terrible 
Condition  of  the  Hospitals  —  Salisbury  Penitentiary  as  Viewed  by 
Mr.  Brown— The  Prisoners  driven  to  Desperation  ....  32^ 

CHAPTER  XX. 

At  Andersonville  —  Testimony  of  Ira  E.  Forbes  —  His  Capture  and  Re- 
moval  to  Camp  Sumter  —  Trafliq  with  the  Rebels  — Generosity  of  the 
Citizens  of  Charleston  —  Arrival  at  Andersonville  —  Capt.  Wirz  —  The 
"  Dead  Line  "  —  Shooting  Prisoners  —  Frightful  Mortality  —  Burial 
of  the  Dead  — Intense  Mental  Trials  —  Ravages  of  Scurvy  — Awful 
Condition  of  the  Hospital  —  Removal  of  Prisoners  to  Florence,  South 
Carolina  —  Union  Prisoners  from  Dixie's  Sunny  Land  —  Rations 
Issued  by  the  United  States  Government  to  Rebel  Prisoners  of  War 
—  Statement  of  Clothing  Issued  to  Rebel  Prisoners  of  War  at  Fort 
Delaware 330 

APPENDIX. 

Containing  the  Name,  Rank,  Regiment,  and  Post  Office  Address  of  the 
Officers  who  were  imprisoned  at  Richmond,  Danville,  Macon,  Savan 
nah,  Charleston,  Columbia,  Charlotte,  Raleigh  and  Goldsborough,  1864 
and  1865 353 


PAO« 

1   Portrait  of  the  Author,  Frontispiece. 

2.  The  Capture  — Cavalry  Fight  at  New  Baltimore,         ...       -     33 

3.  Libby  Prison, 

4.  Interior  view  of  Libby  Prison, 73 

5.  Tunnelling— The  Narrow  Path  to  Freedom, 

6.  Jail  Yard,  Charleston,  South  Carolina, 

7.  Drawing  Meat  Ration  at  "  Camp  Sorghum," 197 

8.  The  Escape  — Fed  by  Negroes  in  a  Swamp, 2*3 

9.  Rebel  Mode  of  Capturing  Escaped  Prisoners,          ....       259 

10.  Came  too  Near  the  Dead  Line, 31d 

11.  Interior  View  of  the  Andert  onville  Prison, W 


THE  PRINCIPAL  REBEL  PRISONS,  AND 
WHERE  THEY  WERE  LOCATED. 


LIBBY,  Richmond,  Virginia. 

CASTLE  THUNDER,  Richmond,  Virginia. 

DANVILLE,  Pottsylvania  County,  Virginia. 

BELLE  ISLE,  in  James  River,  near  Richmond. 

MACOX,  Georgia,  known  south  as  Camp  Oglethorpe. 

SAVANNAH,  Georgia,  known  south  as  Camp  Davidson. 

ANDERSOXVILLE,  Sumter    County,   Georgia,  known  south  as  Camp 

• 

Sumter. 

MILLIN,  Burke  County,  Georgia,  known  south  as  Camp  Lawton. 
CHARLESTON,  South  Carolina. 

COLUMBIA,  South  Carolina,  known  south  as  Camp  Sorghum. 
BLACKSTONE,  South  Carolina. 
FLORENCE,  Darlington  County,  South  Carolina. 
SALISBURY,  Rowan  County,  North  Carolina. 
RALEIGH,  North  Carolina. 
GOLDSBOROUGH,  North  Carolina. 
CHARLOTTE,  North  Carolina. 
TYLER,  Smith  County,  Texas. 
CAHAWBA,  Dallas  County,  Alabama. 


THE   CAPTURE, 

• 

THB 

n  $en,  anir  tfje  Escape 


CHAPTER  I. 

ENLISTMENT  AND   SERVICE   IN  THE   FIELD. 

THE  first  battle  of  Bull  Kim  had  just  been  fouglit, 
Jnly  21,  1861,  and  our  proud,  confident  advance 
into  "Dixie"  checked,  and  turned  into  a  disastrous 
rout.  The  unwarlike  enthusiasm  of  the  country, 
which  hoped  to  crush  the  Rebellion  with  seventy- 
five  thousand  men,  had  been  temporarily  chilled. 
It  was  chilled,  as  the  first  stealthy  drops  of  the 
thunder-gust  chill  and  deaden  a  raging  fire,  which 
breaks  out  anew  when  the  tempest  fans  it  with  its 
fury,  and  contrives  to  burn  in  spite  of  a  deluge  of 
rain.  The  chill  had  passed  and  the  fever  was  raging. 
From  the  great  centres  of  national  life,  a  renovating 
public  opinion  had  gone  out,  which  reached,  in  its 
greatness  and  universality,  the  farthest  hamlet  on 
our  frontier.  Every  true  man  had  met  the  emer 
gency  at  his  own  fireside,  in  consultation  with  his 

19 


20  THE    CAPTURE,   THE   PRISON  PEN, 

family,  and  the  Rebellion  was  just  as  surely  doomed 
as  when  Grant  received  the  surrender  of  Lee's  army. 
In  a  wider  sense,  the  country  had  risen  to  meet  the 
emergency,  and  Northern  patriotism,  now  thorough 
ly  aroused,  was  sweeping  everything  before  it.  The 
cry  was,  everywhere,  "  To  arms  !  "  and  thousands 
upon  thousands  were  answering  to  the  generous  call 
of  our  President. 

It  was  under  such  circumstances  that  I  enlisted, 
as  a  private  soldier,  at  Troy,  New  York,  on' the  6th 
day  of  August,  in  a  company  raised  by  Capt.  Clar 
ence  Buel,  for  the  Second  Regiment  of  New  York 
Cavalry,  "  Harris  Xight." 

I  need  make  no  elaborate  mention  of  the  emo 
tions  or  motives  which  induced  me  to  enter  the  ser 
vice  ;  they  will  be  readily  conjectured  by  all  loyal 
hearts. 

The  Harris  Light  Cavalry  was  organized  by  J. 
Mansfield  Da  vies,  of  New  York,  as  colonel,  and 
Judsou  Kilpatrick,  of  New  Jersey,  as  lieutenant- 
colonel. 

Up  to  this  time  it  had  been  no  part  of  the  policy 
of  the  Government  to  increase  the  cavalry  arm  of  the 
service.  Gen.  Scott  had  trusted  entirely  to  infantry, 
and  his  example  was  still  potent.  Bull  Run,  how- 
ever,  had  demonstrated  the  efficiency  of  cavalry,  and 
the  Government  beiran  to  change  its  views.  To 

o  o 

match  the  famous  ' '  Black  Horse  Cavalry  "  of  Vir 
ginia,  it  was  determined  to  raise  a  cavalry  force  in 
the  North,  and  as  Senator  Ira  Harris,  of  New  York, 
took  an  active  part  in  securing  the  enlargement  of 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  21 

this  branch  of  the  army,  a  brigade  was  formed  in 
honor  of  his  name. 

The  regiment  to  which  I  belonged  was  denomi 
nated  the  Harris  Light  Cavalry,  and  was  composed 
of  men  from  New  York,  New  Jersey,  Connecticut, 
Vermont,  Pennsylvania,  and  Indiana.  It  was  origi 
nally  intended  for  the  regular  army,  and  was  for 
some  time  known  as  the  Seventh  U.  S.  Cavalry ;  but 
the  regular  cavalry  having  been  reduced  to  six  regi 
ments,  we  were  assigned  to  New  York,  as  she  had 
contributed  the  largest  number  of  men  to  the  organ 
ization. 

During  the  latter  part  of  August,  the  regiment 
was  ordered  to  Washington,  and  after  a  month's 
drill  crossed  the  Potomac,  and  encamped  in  front  of 
the  enemy  at  Munson's  Hill. 

McClellan  was  in  command,  and  all  was  quiet  on 
the  Potomac  until  spring.  The  winter  was  spent  in 
drilling,  and  the  discipline  at  that  time  imparted  to 
the  army  was  of  great  service  in  after  campaigns. 
Our  regiment  was  encamped  at  Arlington  Heights, 
on  the  Rebel  General  Lee's  plantation. 

March  3,  1862,  began  the  grand  advance  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac,  which  resulted  in  the  cap 
ture  of  the  "Quaker  guns"  at  Centreville.  In  this 
campaign  the  Harris  Light  was,  for  a  time,  body 
guard  to  Gen.  McClellan.  The  army  then  fell  back 
to  its  old  position,  and  shortly  after  the  main  por 
tion  of  it  was  embarked  for  the  Peninsular  Cam 
paign.  Gen.  McDowell  was  left  in  command  of 
Northern  Virginia,  with  a  small  force  designed  more 


* 

22  THE   CAPTURE,   THE   PHIS  ON  PEN", 

particularly  for  the  defence  of  Washington,  although 
they  did  good  service  in  harassing  the  enemy  still 
remaining  in  their  front. 

About  the  first  of  April,  he  advanced  with  the 
small  force  left  in  his  command,  Col.  —  afterwards 
Gen. — Bayard  being  in  command  of  the  cavalry, 
which  at  that  time  consisted  of  the  Second  New 
York  and  the  First  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  the 
former  being  the  regiment  to  which  I  belonged. 
Several  days  were  spent  in  feeling  the  front  of  the 
enemy,  and  finding  their  exact  location.  Reconnoi 
tring  was  the  principal  order  for  a  time.  Each 
side  had  to  become  familiar  with  the  changed  cir 
cumstances  of  the  situation,  and  neither  seemed  dis 
posed  to  take  a  hasty  step  which  might  prove 
advantageous  to  the  other.  This  cautious  policy 
was  broken  in  upon  by  the  apparently  reckless  dar 
ing  of  Gen.  — then  Col.  — Kilpatrick.  The  enemy 
were  strongly  intrenched  at  Falmouth  Heights,  and 
he  asked  permission  to  surprise  them  in  the  night 
time.  After  much  persuasion  leave  was  granted, 
and,  at  the  head  of  our  small  regiment  of  cavalry, 
he  undertook  the  work. 

As  we  approached  the  works  in  the  darkness,  to 
within  hearing  of  the  Rebels,  he  shouted,  to  his 
officers, — 

"Bring  up  your  artillery  in  the  centre,  and 
infantry  on  the  left ! " 

"  Well,  but,  Colonel,"  said  an  honest,  but  rather 
obtuse  captain,  "  we  haven't  got " 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  23 

"Silence    in    the    ranks!"    shouted    Kilpatricfe*. 

"Artillery  in  the  centre,  and  infantry  on  the  left !  " 

The  Rebel  pickets  caught  and  spread  the  alarm, 
and  the  heights  were  carried  with  little  opposition. 

The  early  part  of  the  summer  was  spent  almost 
entirely  in  raiding.  Expeditions  were  sent  in  every 
direction,  but  more  especially  towards  Richmond. 
Many  railroads  were  destroyed,  and  large  quantities 
of  commissary  stores.  In  this  way  the  cavalry 
found  enough  of  both  war  and  romance. 

About  the  first  of  July,  Gen.  Pope  was  put  in 
command  of  the  troops  in  Virginia,  and  soon  after 
fought  the  battle  of  Cedar  Mountain.  A  battalion 
of  our  regiment  was  body-guard  to  McDowell  dur 
ing  the  fight. 

The  campaign  on  the  Peninsula  having  been  con 
cluded,  McClellan  re-embarked  his  troops  for  Wash 
ington,  while  Lee  left  his  fortifications  around 
Richmond,  and  soon  confronted  Pope  on  the  old 
Bull-Run  battle-ground.  Just  before  this,  while  Lee 
was  bringing  his  army  northward,  occurred  the  first 
cavalry  fight  at  Brandy  Station,  in  which  the  Har 
ris  Light  lost  heavily. 

After  the  second  Bull  Run  battle,  the  cavalry 
covered  the  retreat  to  Washington,  checking  the 
advance  of  the  Rebels,  and  covering  the  flanks  and 
roar  of  our  army.  This  necessitated  continual  fight 
ing  with  the  enemy's  cavalry  and  with  the  vanguard 
of  their  infantry. 

By  the  almost  continual  skirmishing  of  the  sum 
mer  campaign  our  numbers  were  sadly  depleted ; 


24  THE    CAPTURED    THE   PRISON  PEN, 

ai?d  we  were  at  this  time  ordered  to  Hall's  Hill, 
eight  miles  from  Washington,  to  recruit  our  wasted 
ranks. 

The  first  of  November  we  again  moved  to  the 
front,  and  picketed  the  advance,  under  Gen.  Bay 
ard,  until  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg,  in  the  early 
part  of  December. 

In  this  disastrous  engagement,  Gen.  Bayard  was 
killed,  and  Burnside,  with  his  whole  army,  forced 
to  recross  the  river.  Winter  quarters  were  soon 
after  established,  and  the  two  armies  passed  the 
winter  in  watching  each  other  across  a  narrow  river. 
The  cavalry  remained  at  the  extreme  front,  doing 
picket  duty  along  the  north  bank  of  the  Kappahan- 
nock. 

About  the  first  of  April,  1863,  preparations  were 
made  for  another  movement.  The  cavalry  were 
sent  on  a  raiding  expedition  in  the  direction  of  War- 
rentou.  At  this  place  the  Harris  Light  gave  the 
famous  Black  Horse  Cavalry  a  few  scares.  Our 
company  of  less  than  a  hundred  men  rode  into  the 
town,  and  as  they  did  so,  about  two  hundred  of  the 
gallant  black  knights  rode  out  at  a  break-neck  pace, 
on  the  opposite  side. 

During  the  winter,  Hooker  had  taken  command 
of  the  army,  and  great  preparations  were  made  for 
a  vigorous  campaign.  On  the  27th,  the  army  again 
crossed  the  river,  and  for  several  days  the  great 
battle  of  Chancellorsville  raged.  At  this  time  Gen. 
Stoneraan  had  command  of  the  cavalry.  He  had 
turned  the  enemy's  position  at  Chancellorsville,  while 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  25 

the  battle  was  being  fought,  and  cut  off  their  com 
munications  in  the  rear. 

While  Stonernan  was  thus  engaged,  Col.  Kil pat- 
rick  galloped  entirely  around  Lee's  army ,  and  passed 
within  the  second  line  of  fortifications  around  Rich- 
mond,  from  there  across  to  Yorktown,  and  returned 
with  a  swoop  in  time  to  be  at  the  second  fight  at 
Brandy  Station,  on  the  9th  of  June.  This  was  the 
largest 'as  well  as  the  most  stubbornly  contested  cav 
alry  fight  of  the  war. 

Lee  at  this  time  was  advancing  up  the  Shenan- 
doah  Valley,  and  our  cavalry,  under  Gen.  Pleas- 
anton,  was  guarding  the  supply  train  in  the  rear 
of  our  army,  and  fighting  the  Rebel  Gen.  Stuart 
through  the  gaps  in  the  Blue  Ridge  Mountains. 

During  this  advance  were  fought  the  battles  at 
Aldie,  Middleburg,  and  Upperville,  —  all  severe 
contests,  in  which  "the  Harris  Light"  lost  heavily. 

Immediately  after  was  fought  the  battle  of  Get 
tysburg.  During  this  engagement  the  cavalry  were 
harassing  the  Rebel  rear,  and  taking  care  of  Stuart's 
cavalry.  On  the  night  of  the  4th  of  July  our  cav 
alry  captured  Gen.  Longstreet's  entire  wagon  train, 
laden  with  the  ripe  crops  of  Pennsylvania  and  Mary 
land,  and  guarded  it  safely,  together  with  fourteen 
hundred  prisoners,  in  spite  of  Stuart's  most  vigor 
ous  efforts  to  effect  a  recapture. 

During  the  retreat  of  Lee,  Gens.  Kilpatrick  and 

Stuart  were  almost  daily  in  conflict.     The  battles 

of  Boonsboro',  Williamsport,  and  Hagerstown,  were 

fought,  and  in  fact  the  cavalry  was  constantly  en- 

2 


26 


THE   CAPTURE,   THE  PRISON   PEN, 


gaged  until  we  made  the  final  charge  on  Lee's  rear, 
as  he  was  crossing  the  Potomac  at  Falling  Waters 
on  the  14tli  of  July. 

Our  army  then  slowly  followed  the  great  Eebel 
raider,  until  he  halted  on  the  south  bank  of  the 
Rapidan.  Skirmishing  was  kept  up  till  late  in  the 
fall,  when  the  movements  mentioned  in  the  next 
chapter  were  inaugurated,  which  to  me  resulted  in 
capture. 


AND   THE  ESCAPE.  27 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE   CAPTURE. 

IN  the  early  part  of  October,  1863,  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac,  resting  from  its  arduous  work  of  the 
summer  campaign,  was  encamped  on  the  north  bank 
of  the  Rapidan. 

From  April  till  September  the  contending  armies 
had  been  almost  constantly  engaged,  each  endeavor 
ing  to  strike  the  telling  blow  that  was  to  drive  its 
enemy  back  upon  Richmond  or  Washington.  The 
public  feeling,  both  North  and  South,  had  been 
wrought  up  to  its  highest  pitch.  Gen.  Meade  was 
thought  equal  to  the  emergency  by  the  loyal  ones, 
and  many  prayers  ascended  daily  for  him  and  his 
noble  army. 

Six  months  had  now  been  consumed,  and  appar 
ently  without  any  decisive  result.  Active  prepara 
tions  were  in  progress  for  a  renewal  of  the  struggle. 
Reconnoissances  were  made,  and  orders  were  confi 
dently  expected  from  Gen.  Meade  to  advance ;  but 
just  on  the  eve  of  our  forward  movement,  intelligence 
was  received  that  Lee  had  very  suddenly  withdrawn 
the  main  force  of  his  army,  which  had  been  confront 
ing  us  along  the  line  of  the  Rapidan,  and  was  making 
a  rapid  flank  movement,  threatening  the  occupation 


28  THE    CAPTURE,   THE   PRISON  PEN, 

of  the  plains  of  Manassas  before  Gen.  Meacle  coulJ 
reach  them.  Swift  messengers,  from  officers  high  in 
command,  brought  orders  to  retire  with  promptness, 
but  in  good  order,  if  possible.  My  regiment  was 
called  in  from  picket  duty  on  the  morning  of  October 
9th,  and  ordered  to  join  the  division  at  James  City, 
at  which  place  we  had  an  engagement  with  the  Rebel 
cavalry  on  the  following  day.  The  battle  raged 
with  fury  and  slaughter  until  eight  o'clock'  p.  M., 
when  the  firing  ceased,  and  the  contending  legions 
sought  repose  from  their  work  of  death.  The  main 
body  of  our  cavalry  retired  a  short  distance  from 
the  field,  leaving  only  a  light  skirmish  line  at  the 
front,  and  at  an  early  hour  on  the  morning  of  the 
llth  we  took  up  march  for  the  Rappahannock,  acting 
is  rear-guard  of  the  army.  Skirmishing  was  con 
tinued  at  almost  every  step  of  the  march.  On  the 
Sperryville  pike  to  Culpepper,  the  Rebels  pressed 
MS  vigorously".  At  this  point  the  cavalry  corps  sep 
arated,  Buford  with  his  division  falling  back  by  way 
of  Stevcnsburg,  Gregg  by  Sulphur  Springs,  leaving 
Kilpatrick  on  the  main  thoroughfare  along  the  rail 
road  by  Brandy  Station. 

Kilpatriek  had  but  just  moved  out  of  Culpepper 
when  Hampton's  division  of  cavalry  made  a  furious 
attack  upon  the  Harris  Light  acting  as  rear-guard, 
with  the  apparent  hope  of  breaking  through  upon 
the  main  column  and  dispersing  it  or  of  delaying  it, 
so  as  to  enable  a  flanking  column  to  intercept  our 
retreat.  Gallantly  repelling  every  attack  the  com 
mand  moved  on  until  within  sight  of  Brandy  gta- 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  20 

tion,  when  it  was  discovered  that  Gen.  Fitz  Hugh 
Lee  hold  the  only  road  upon  which  it  was  possible 
for  Kilpatrick  to  retire.  Stuart  at* the  head  of  an 
other  column  of  Rebel  cavalry,  aided  by  artillery 
well  posted,  threatened  our  left.  The  right  wag 
exposed  to  a  galling  fire  from  the  enemy's  sharp 
shooters,  while  behind  us  were  Hampton's  legions 
predicting  speedy  destruction  to  their  retiring  foe. 
This  was  a  situation  to  try  the  stoutest  hearts. 
Nothing  daunted  by  this  formidable  disposition  of 
an  enemy  very  superior* in  numbers,  Kilpatrick  dis 
played  that  decision  and  daring  which  have  ever 
characterized  him  as  a  great  leader  of  cavalry,  and 
proved  himself  worthy  to  lead  the  brave  men  who 
composed  his  command.  Forming  his  division  into 
three  lines  of  battle,  he  assigned  the  right  to  Gen. 
Davics,  the  left  to  Gen.  Custer,  and  placing  himself 
in  the  centre,  advanced  with  terrible  determination 
to  the  contest.  Having  approached  to  within  a  lew 
hundred  yards  of  the  enemy's  lines,  Kilpatrick  or 
dered  his  band  to  strike  up  some  national  airs,  to 
whose  spirit-stirring  strains  was  joined  the  blast  of 
scores  of  bugles  ringing  forth  the  charge.  Brave 
hearts  became  braver,  and  if  the  patriotism  of  any 
waxed  cold,  and  the  courage  of  any  faltered,  they 
here  grew  warmer  and  stronger  until  pride  of  coun 
try  had  touched  the  will,  and  an  uncontrollable 
principle  had  been  kindled  that  emphatically  affirmed 
the  man  a  hero  until  death.  Fired  with  a  love  for 
the  cause  in  which  they  were  engaged,  this  band  of 


SO  THE   CAPTURE,   THE  PRISON  PEN, 

invincible  troopers  shook  the  air  with  their  battle 
cry  and  dashed  forward  to  meet  their  unequal  foe. 

With  his  usual  daring,  Gen.  Davies  was  foremost 
in  the  fray,  and  led  his  command  for  the  fourth  time 
on  this  memorable  field.*  His  words  of  encourage 
ment  were,  "  Soldiers  of  the  First  Brigade,  I  know 
you  have  not  forgotten  the  examples  of  your  brave 
comrades  who  in  past  engagements  were  not  afraid 
to  die  here  in  defence  of  the  old  flag." 

The  Kebel  lines  broke  in  wild  dismay  before  the 
uplifted  sabres  of  the  unflinching  veterans,  who, 
feeling  that  they  had  nothing  but  life  to  lose,  risked 
it,  with  a  vengeance,  upon  the  fearful  issue.  Kil- 
patrick  thus  escaped  disaster,  defeated  his  pursuers, 
and  presented  to  the  beholders  one  of  the  grandest 
sights  ever  witnessed  on  the  Western  Continent. 

"  By  Heaven !  it  was  a  goodly  sight  to  see, 
For  one  who  had  no  friend  or  brother  there." 

No  one  who  looked  upon  that  wonderful  panorama 
can  ever  forget  it.  On  the  great  field  were  riderless 
horses  and  dying  men,  clouds  of  dirt  from  solid 
shot  and  exploding  shells,  long  dark  lines  of  cavalry 
dashing  on  to  the  charge,  with  their  drawn  and  firmly 
grasped  sabres  glistening  in  the  light  of  the  declin 
ing  sun ;  while  far  beyond  this  scene  of  tumult  were 
the  dark  green  forests  skirting  the  north  bank  of  the 
Eappahannock.  Kilpatrick's  division  soon  after- 

*  First  Brandy  Station  was  fought  August  20th,  1862; 
second,  June  9th ;  third,  September  12th ;  and  fourth,  Octo 
ber  llth,  1863. 


AND   THE  ESCAPE.  31 

ward  joined  that  of  Buford,  and  with  their  united 
forces  they  engaged  the  enemy  in  a  series  of  brilliant 
charges  which  materially  checked  his  pursuit,  and 
at  night  we  crossed  the  Rappahannock  in  safety. 

The  cavalry  continued  its  retreat,  acting  as  rear 
guard  to  the  infantry,  to  the  old  field  of  Bull  Run, 
where  it  was  expected  a  third  battle  would  bo 
fought. 

October  12.  —  The  cavalry  corps  moved  from 
Rappahannock  Station  at  two  o'clock  P.  M.  A  por 
tion  of  our  infantry  recrossed  the  Rappahannock  at 
an  early  hour  in  the  morning,  and  made  a  forced 
march  to  Brandy  Station,  where  a  spirited  engage 
ment  took  place.  The  movement  seems  to  have 
been  made  with  a  view  to  deceiving  the  enemy. 

October  13.  — Left  Bealton  at  two  A.  M.  While 
the  regiment  lay  bivouacked  at  that  place,  an  artil 
lery  caisson  took  fire  by  accident,  causing  a  rapid 
explosion  of  its  contents.  The  consequence  was  a 
wide-spread  alarm  which  brought  every  trooper  to 
his  horse,  prepared  to  resist  the  foe,  who  was  sup 
posed  to  have  made  a  furious  onset. 

October  15. — Near  Sudley  Church.  The  army 
continued  its  retreat  on  the  14th,  until  late  in  the 
afternoon,  when  a  general  halt  was  ordered  and 
preparations  made  for  battle.  At  early  dawn  on 
the  morning  of  the  15th  the  thunder  of  our  artillery 
at  Bristoe  announced  Gen.  Meade's  intentions,  and 
opened  an  engagement  which  resulted  in  a  disastrous 
repulse  to  the  enemy,  and  effectually  checked  his 


32  THE   CAPTURE,   THE   PRISON 

advance,  which  had  thus  far  met  with  but  little 
opposition. 

October  16.  — The  Harris  Light  was  relieved  from 
picket  at  twelve  o'clock  M.,  and  moved  with  the 
brigade  to  Bull  Run  bridge.  Kilpatrick's  division 
ordered  out  at  three  o'clock  p.  M.  to  make  a  recon- 
noissance  in  force.  A  terrific  rain-storm  ensues. 
Several  men  and  horses  drowned  while  fording  Bull 
Run. 

October  17.  — "Boots  and  saddles"  at  nine  A.  M. 
Ten  o'clock,  supporting  a  battery.  Shelled  the 
Rebel  skirmishers  and  drove  them  back  two  miles 
toward  Gainesville. 

October  18.  — Kilpatrick's  division  was  ordered  in 
pursuit  of  the  enemy  at  four  o'clock  P.  M.  Skir 
mishing  was  kept  up  vigorously  with  the  Rebel  cav 
alry  from  Newmarket  to  Guhiesville.  The  Harris 
Light  acted  as  advance-guard,  and  picketed  the  front 
until  late  in  the  evening,  when  we  were  relieved 
by  the  Fifth  New  York  Cavalry. 

October  19.  —  Kilpatrick  resumed  march  at  day 
break.  The  Rebel  cavalry,  under  Stuart,  retired 
without  opposition,  until  our  advance  had  passed 
New  Baltimore  on  the  Warrenton  pike,  when  Fits 
Hugh  Lee,  who  had  surprised  and  cut  his  way 
through  our  infantry  at  Thoroughfare  Gap,  fell  upon 
our  rear  guard  at  Buckland,  and  opened  with  his 
artillery.  .  At  this  signal  Gen.  Stuart,  who  had 
hitherto  been  very  quietly  retiring,  now  turned  and 
charged  us  in  front.  The  Rebel  Gen.  Gordon  made 
a  furious  attack  upon  our  left  flank,  threatening  to 


[il   .|||,,| !  jyij    i'i-i  .    ..-•'     '• 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  35 

teparate  tlio  two  small  brigades  which  composed 
Kilpatrick's  division.  This  was  a  critical  situation, 
but  "Kil.,"ever  equal  to  the  emergency,  ordered  his 
whole  force  to  wheel  about  and  charge  the  columns 
of  Lee.  The  Harris  Light,  having  been  in  front 
while  advancing,  now  became  the  rear  guard,  and 
by  this  movement  we  were  compelled  to  meet  the 
desperate  charges  of  the  enemy  in  pursuit ;  having 
reached  a  little  rise  of  ground  we  made  a  stand,  and 
for  some  time  checked  the  advance  of  the  Rebels  by 
pouring  into  their  ranks  deadly  volleys  from  our 
carbines  and  revolvers.  Gen.  Stuart,  who  was  at 
the  head  of  his  command,  saw  clearly  that  he  could 
only  dislodge  us  by  a  charge,  and  ordering  it  lead 
a  brigade  in  person.  Our  men  stood  firm  and  were 
soon  engaged  in  a  hand  to  hand  conflict  with  the 

O     O 

advancing  columns  of  the  foe. 

At  this  juncture  my  horse  was  shot  under  me, 
and  our  little  party,  outnumbered  ten  to  one,  was 
hurled  back  by  the  overpowering  force  of  the  Rebels, 
their  whole  command  riding  over  myself  and  horse. 

Being  severely  injured  by  the  fall  of  my  horse, 
and  by  the  charging  squadrons  that  passed  over  me, 
I  was  insensible  for  several  moments,  and  on  be 
coming  conscious,  found  that  I  was  being  carried 
hastily  from  the  scene  of  action  under  a  Rebel 
guard.  My  arms  had  been  stripped  from  me,  my 
pockets  rifled,  and  watch  taken. 

Once  a  prisoner,  I  was  taken  to  a  spot  near  an  old 
building  where  a  number  of  others,  equally  unfor 
tunate,  were  beinjr  guarded. 


36  THE   CAPTURED    THE  PRISON  PEN, 

Here  we  witnessed  an  amusing  exhibition  of  "Rebel 
bravery.  The  woods  were  full  of  skulkers,  and  in 
order  to  make  a  show  of  having  something  to  do, 
each  and  all  were  sedulously  devoting  themselves 
to  guarding  the  prisoners.  Corporals  and  sergeants 
and  privates  in  succession  had  charge  of  us,  and 
each  in  his  turn  would  call  us  into  line,  count  us  in 
an  officious  manner,  and  issue  orders  according  to  his 
liking  ;  until  some  sneak  of  higher  rank  came  along, 
when  he  assumed  command,  and  said  in  a  tone  of 
authority  to  the  others,  "Your  services  are  very 
much  needed  at  the  front ;  go  and  do  your  duty  like 
men." 

This  was  often  said  with  chattering  teeth  and 
anxious  glances  in  the  direction  of  our  cavalry. 

Thus  we  passed  under  the  notice  of  one  coward 
after  another,  each  styling  himself  "  Assistant  Dep 
uty  Provost  Marshal,"  until  evening,  when  we  were 
marched  to  Warrenton  and  lodged  in  the  county 
jail. 

While  at  Warrenton  most  of  the  prisoners  were 
robbed  of  their  clothing  and  watches,  and  in  fact 
everything  which  could  have  been  of  the  slightest 
value  to  our  captors. 

One  of  these  "  chivalrous  gentleman,"  whose 
w  vaulting  ambition  generally  o'erleaped  itself,"  de 
manded  my  hat,  overcoat,  and  boots,  when  the  fol 
lowing  conversation  ensued :  — 

Reb.  Here,  Yank,  hand  me  that  hat ;  yes,  and 
come  out  of  that  overcoat  and  them  boots  too,  you 
damned  son  of  a . 


AND   THE  ESCAPE.  S'f 

Fed.  The  articles  you  demand  are  my  personal 
property,  and  you  have  no  right  to  take  them  from 
me. 

Heb.  AJre  have  authority  from  Gen.  Stuart  to 
take  from  prisoners  whatever  we  damned  please. 

Fed.  I  doubt  your  authority,  sir ;  and  if  you  are 
a  gentleman  you  will  not  be  guilty  of  stripping  a 
defenceless  prisoner. 

Reb.  I  will  show  you  my  authority,  you  damned 
Blue  Belly  (drawing  his  revolver).  Now  take  off 
that  coat,  or  I  will  blow  your  brains  out. 

Fed.  Blow  away,  then  ;  it's  as  well  to  be  without 
brains  as  without  clothing,  at  this  season  of  the 
year. 

Johnny  Eeb  was  not  quite  disposed  to  fire  upon 
me,  and  giving  his  head  a  shake  rode  off,  thinking, 
no  doubt,  that  he  could  supply  his  wants  in  another 
direction  without  wasting  his  ammunition. 

In  the  morning  before  sunrise  we  started  for  Cul- 
pepper.  It  was  one  of  the  severest  tramps  of  my 
life.  The  weather  was  exceedingly  hot,  and  the 
distance  not  less  than  thirty  miles.  Our  guard  was 
mounted,  and  evinced  but  little  sympathy  for  our 
unfortunate  condition  as  we  endeavored  to  keep 
pace  with  them.  Their  great  haste  was  owing  to  the 
fact  that  Gen.  Lee  had  been  defeated  at  the  battle 
of  Bristoe  and  was  in  full  retreat  for  the  Rapidan, 
our  army  in  pursuit.  None,  save  those  who  have 
been  in  the  cavalry  service,  know  how  to  sympathize 
with  a  dismounted  cavalier  if  compelled  to  march 
on  foot.  Our  sufferings  were  indescribable ;  curses 


38  TBJS   CAPTUEE,    THE  Fltj.SOX   PEN, 

and  threats  long  and  loud  were  freely  indulged  in 
by  the  guard  because  we  could  not  walk  faster.  Six 
of  our  number  fell  by  the  wayside  before  we  reached 
Culpepper  from  utter  exhaustion.  I  thought  of 
several  plans  for  escape  during  the  day,  but  the 
guard  were  old  soldiers  and  watched  us  closely. 
We  were  guarded  in  a  large  public  building  at  Cul 
pepper  during  the  night  and  remained  in  town  all 
the  next  day. 

Late  in  the  evening  we  left  Culpepper  on  a  train 
for  Rapidan  Station,  on  the  Rapidan  River.  Here 
the  bridge  was  down,  and  we  were  obliged  to  march 
to  Orange  Court  House,  a  distance  of  six  miles. 
Thoroughly  demoralized  by  the  tramp  from  Warren- 
ton  to  Culpepper,  it  was  constant  pain  to  make  our 
way.  The  boys  will  long  remember  that  short  march. 
The  next  morning  we  left  Orange  Court  House  by 
rail  for  Gordonsville,  at  which  place  we  remained 
until  three  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  23d  of 
October.  The  guards  became  intoxicated  on  very 
bad  whiskey,  and  were  very  abusive.  Cursing  and 
threatening,  and  levelling  their  muskets  at  prisoners, 
finally  relieved  them  from  duty,  and  their  places 
were  filled  by  others.  At  three  o'clock  A.  M.  we 
stalled  for  "Richmond,  to  be  consigned  to  the  tender 
mercies  of  Libby  Prison. 


AND   THE  ESCAPE.  39 


CHAPTEE    III. 

/ 

UBBY  PRISON. 

AT  eight  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  Friday,  Octo 
ber  23d,  we  arrived  in  Richmond.  The  streets  were 
filled  with  people  whose  countenances  betokened 
anxiety  concerning  the  result  of  the  terrible  strug 
gle  that  had  just  terminated  in  Northern  Virginia. 

Immediately  after  our  arrival  at  the  depot  we 
were  hurried  from  the  cars  and  marched  through 
some  of  the  principal  streets  to  Libby  Prison. 

As  we  passed  along,  our  ears  were  greeted  with 
an  innumerable  number  of  questions  and  observa 
tions,  the  general  character  of  which  may  be  inferred 
from  the  following:  "How  are  you,  Blue  Bellies?" 
"  Why  didn't  you  all  come  into  Richmond  with  your 
arms  on?"  "What  did' you'uns  all  want  to  come 
down  here  and  run  off  we'uns  niggers,  and  burn  our 
houses  for?" 

Mis.  Johnny  Reb  remarked :  "  If  these  are  the 
officers  of  the  Yankee  army,  what  must  the  privates 
be?" 

Another  sensitively  delicate  matron,  as  if  taking 
her  cue  from  the  former  remark,  chimed  in  with  a 
tragic  shudder:  "Oh,  what  a  pity  it  is  that  our 


40  THE    CAPTURED    THE   PRISON  PEN, 

noble  sons  should  be  murdered  by  such  miserable 
"Vagabonds  !  " 

The  usual  Southern  epithets  for  Federal  soldiers 
were  vigorously  applied,  hence  we  were  not  sur 
prised  when  jested  at  as  "hirelings,"  "mudsills," 
Northern  vandals r"  etc. 

A  troop  of  boys  followed  in  our  rear,  hooting, 
hallooing,  and  calling  us  names ;  and,  really,  as  is 
generally  the  case,  they  said  smarter  things  than  the 
older  ones. 

After  a  walk  of  little  more  than  a  mile,  we  were 
halted  in  front  of  a  large  three-story  brick  building, 
dark  and  frowning,  and  from  the  north-west  corner 
of  which  hung  a  small  sign  which  tells  to  the  passer 
by,  that"Libby  &  Son,  ship  chandlers  and  grocers," 
have  called  attention  to  this  point,  as  the  one  where 
their  business  was  transacted,  and  where  those  per 
sons  irfust  repair  who  were  interested  in  bargains 
particularly  associated  with  their  vocation.  I  con 
fess  I  did  not  like  the  idea  of  being  a  "ship  chan 
dler"  just  then  ;  but  Rebel  bayonets  were  powerful 
arguments,  and  so  we  all  entered  the  prison,  and 
were  informally  introduced  to  Maj.  Turner  and  dis 
ciples,  of  whom  I  shall  speak  at  more  length  in  the 
following  pages.  By  his  order,  our  clothing  was 
carefully  examined.  All  money  was  taken  from 
us,  and,  in  short,  we  were  very  quickly  divested  of 
everything  which  could  excite  cither  the  curiosity  or 
avarice  of  a  Rebel.  It  was  not  the  intention  to  leave 
anything  that  might  minister  to  our  comfort  or  pleas 
ure.  Yankee  ingenuity,  however,  as  is  generally 


(i 


i 


s:fgrgag';  lT  'ess; 


AND   THE  ESCAPE.  43 

the  case,  was  more  than  a  match  for  Rebel  cupidity. 
Many  valuables  were  retained  by  slyly  passing  them 
to  those  who  had  been  examined,  while  the  attention 
of  the  guard  was  elsewhere.  In  this  way  I  saved 
my  journal.  After  this  most  disgraceful  robbery  was 
concluded  we  were  taken  to  the  rooms  occupied  by 
the  prisoners,  and,  as  we  met  them,  were  amazed  at 
their  cries  of  "Fresh  fish,"  "Close  up,"  "Where 
were  you  captured?"  "What  army  do  you  belong 
to?"  "Give  him  air,"  etc.  They  did  not  abate 
their  zeal  in  the  use  of  the  above  expressions  until 
several  moments  after  our  entrance.  I  soon  learned 
that  it  was  the  universal  custom  to  treat  all  new 
comers  in  the  same  manner.  This  wras  a  sort  of 
initiation,  and  the  more  graciously  it  was  endured 
the  better. 

There  was  a  melancholy  pleasure  in  meeting  sev 
eral  officers  of  my  own  regiment.  Glad  to  have 
their  fellowship  and  cheer,  but  sad  to  meet  them  in 
such  undesirable  circumstances. 

Upon  entering  the  prison  the  officers  were  sepa 
rated  from  the  enlisted  men,  and  we  were  not  after 
that  permitted  to  be  near  enough  to  them  to  engage 
in  conversation. 

We  soon  found  friends,  and  became  domesticated 
in  our  new  abode.  With  the  Yankee  tendency  to 
organization,  the  prisoners  divided  into  messes  of 
twenty  each.  I  was  notified  in  due  time  that  I 
would  be  considered  a  member  of  "  Mess  Number 
Twenty-one,"  and  wTas  at  once  made  acquainted  with 
my  new  duties.  In  our  mess  each  man  in  turn  did 


44  THE   CAPTURE,   THE  PRISON  PEN, 

the  cooking  for  an  entire  clay.  In  that  close,  suffo 
cating  room,  burning  corn-meal  for  coffee  and  making 
rice  soup  over  the  smoking,  broken  stove,  was  in 
deed  extremely  disagreeable.  The  prison  days  were 
exceedingly  long,  —  and  yet  our  turns  for  cooking 
seemed  to  recur  with  unpleasant  frequency. 

October  28. — We  are  beginning  to  get  accus 
tomed  to  prison  life.  I  presume  we  shall  fall  into 
the  habit  of  enjoying  ourselves  at  times.  "How 
use  doth  breed  a  habit  in  a  man."  Have  gathered 
some  facts  with  regard  to  the  place  whicl}  must  be 
ouxjiome  for  God  only  knows  how  long.  • 
(The  Libby  Prison  is  an  old  and  somewhat  di 
lapidated  building,  belonging  to  the  estate  of  John 
Enders.  Before  the  war  it  was  used  by  Libby  & 
Son  as  a  storehouse  ;  but  now  it  is  used  by  Southern 
fiends  —  I  cannot  countenance  a  milder  term  —  as 
a  den  of  torture  for  such  as  may  be  so  unfortunate 
as  to  fall  into  their  hands.  There  are  but  few  win 
dows,  and  these  small  and  carefully  secured  by  iron 
grates.  The  sentinels  are  stationed  in  front  of  the 
windows,  outside  of  £he  building,  with  orders  to 
fire  upon  the  first  man  who  attempts  to  look  out. 
We  are  here  huddled  together,  like  sheep  in  a 
slaughter-house,  awaiting  the  approach  of  those 
monsters,  eager  to  destroy  us  by  any  mode  of  tor 
ture  The  rooms  are  filthy  and  unfurnished.  There 
are  no  chairs  or  bunks,  and  but  few  have  blankets. 
They  do  not  even  furnish  us  with  a  necessary  allow 
ance  of  wood.  We  receive  nothing  but  our  rations ; 
a  meager  allowance,  at  the  most.  Yes,  we  do 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  45 

receive  something  else,  viz.,  execrations  and  curses 
without  measure.  Previous  to  our  becoming  the 
occupants  of  this  abode,  the  sentinel  in  front  of  one 
of  the  windows  fired  at  a  prisoner  confined  in  the 
room  now  occupied  by  us,  the  one  for  whom  the  shot 
wras  intended  observing  the  motions  of  the  guard, 
instantly  dodged,  and  thus  escaped  unharmed. 
But  the  ball,  passing  through  and  into  the  room 
above,  there  selected  its  unconscious  victim,  and 
without  a  moment's  warning,  launched  him  forth, 
prepared  or  otherwise,  to  appear  before  that  God* 
who  knows  every  thought  and  purpose  of  the  hearts 
of  men.  The  commandant  of  the  prison  is  Maj. 
Thomas  P.  Turner,  of  the  C.  S.  A.  He  was  for 
merly  a  student  at  West  Point ;  but  it  is  generally 
understood  among  the  prisoners  that  he  was  expelled 
from  that  school  for  forgery.  He  was  subsequently 
made  captain  in  the  Eebel  service,  and,  for  efficiency 
as  a  great  Yankee  destroyer,  has  recently  been  pro 
moted  to  the  rank  of  major.  We  come  in  contact 
with  Maj.  Turner  more  than  with  any  other  of  the 
prison  authorities.  He  is  a  man  whose  character 
may  easily  be  gathered  from  his  countenance ;  for 
the  hoof-prints  of  appetite  have  made  a  lasting  im 
pression  there.  The  utter  depravity  of  the  man 
seems  to  have  gained  a  full  and  complete  expression 
in  every  lineament  of  his  countenance.  To  one  who 
comprehends  the  sublime  capabilities  of  the  human 
soul,  there  is  something  inconceivably  terrible  in  its 
perversions.  Look  at  it  as  it  comes,  pure  and  plas 
tic,  from  its  Maker ;  look  at  it  in  the  maturity  of  ita 


46  THE   CAPTURED  THE  PRISON  PEN* 

development,  as  it  stands  before  the  world  stained 
and  hardened. 

The  higher  and  nobler  the  purpose  to  which  a  life 
may  be  devoted,  the  darker  and  deeper  the  infamy 
into  which  it  may  be  plunged. 

There  is  nothing  so  loathesome  and  so  much  to  be 
feared,  as  a  human  soul  grown  powerful  in  sin,  and 
left  to  be  racked  and  twisted  by  the  machinations 
of  the  evil  one  and  the  sinful  promptings  of  humau 
nature.  Demons  grown  from  germs  that  might  have 
produced  angels  ;  — rank  developments,  drinking  in 
the  healthful  stimulants  of  life,  and  reproducing 
them  in  hideous  forms  of  vice  and  crime  \  — 

"  Souls  made  of  fire,  and  children  of  the  sun, 
With  whom  revenge  is  virtue." 

Such,  I  conclude,  is  the  character  of  the  man  in 
question.  It  seems  as  though  he  has  no  feelings  of 
humanity.  lie  is,  in  fact,  prepared  for  any  crime 
that  could  enlist  the  evil  passions  of  our  nature. 
He  uses  every  means  at  his  command  for  annoying 
the  prisoners.  So  atrocious  are  his  deeds,  that  the 
stings  of  conscience  give  him  no  rest  clay  or  night. 
He  fancies  that  the  prisoners  are  plotting  to  take  his 
life,  and  has  changed  his  quarters  from  the  prison  to 
a  building  across  the  street. 

October  29.  —  There  is  at  present  much  sickness 
in  the  hospital.  A  large  number  of  the  prisoners, 
captured  during  the  fall  campaign,  are  suffering  most 
severely  from  their  wounds.  As  the  Rebels  are 
utterly  regardless  of  the  sufferings  of  those  under 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  47 

their  charge,  here  the  spirit  of  vengeance  and  brute 
ferocity  is  manifested  in  its  most  malignant  form. 
The  treatment  that  our  officers,  wounded  and  sick, 
receive  at  the  hands  of  the  "  Southern  chivalry  "  is 
most  brutal.  It  would  chill  the  blood  of  him  not 
entirely  bereft  of  human  feelings  to  witness  such 
usage  of  even  the  dumb  beasts  of  the  forest. 

November  7 .  —  To-day  there  is  an  interval  in  the 
uneasiness  of  the  prisoners.  A  flag-of-truce  boat  ia 
in.  It  is  now  thought  and  earnestly  hoped  that 
something  will  be  done  to  relieve  the  sufferings  of 
our  prisoners,  both  here  and  on  Belle  Isle ;  yet, 
what  the  result  will  be  time  only  can  reveal.  It  is 
expected  that  Col.  Win.  Irvine,  of  the  Tenth  New 
York  Cavalry,  will  be  assistant  commissioner  of 
exchange. 

If  we  remain  long  in  prison  there  is  a  disagreea 
ble  lesson  for  us  to  learn.  Rumors  are  constantly 
afloat,  and  it  is  so  hard  to  believe  that  they  are  not 
true,  that  there-  is  a  strong  desire  to  trust  that  we 
may  be  soon  released.  Our  wishes  are  constantly 
suggesting  means  for  their  own  accomplishment. 
And  yet  it  is  not  well  to  suffer  ourselves  to  be 
aroused  by  these  exciting  hopes.  Such  unsatisfied 
expectations,  ending  as  they  do  in  depression  of 
spirits  and  disgust  of  our  surroundings,  will  have  a 
deteriorating  effect  upon  our  health.  We  must 
grow  into  the  luxury  of  indifference.  Experience 
must  teach  us  the  lesson.  That  hard  schoolmaster 
must  lash  us,  until  our  nerves  will  remain  quiet  even 
underneath  the  stroke. 


48  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON  PEN, 

There  is  no  room  for  philosophy.  It  is  not 
enough  to  say  to  ourselves,  "  it  is  not  best  to  trust 
these  rumors."  The  mind  rebels.  It  will  trust 
them.  We  cannot  control  our  rampant  thoughts. 
Fancy  /will  run  wild,  and  dwell  on  distant  scenes  of 
pleasure  and  comfort  from  which  we  are  excluded. 
While  she  feasts,  we  are  starving.  The  spirit  is 
strong,  but  the  flesh  is  weak, — and  when  the  strong 
spirit  returns  from  its  wanderings,  weak  and  weary, 
how  much  more  weary  is  the  weak  flesh  that  takes 
it  home. 

Such  struggles  must  we  engage  in  until  we  sink 
into  a  kind  of  stupor,  which  scarcely  cares  whether 
life  or  death  be  our  portion.  There  is  something  of 
the  animal  in  this  lethargy,  which  makes  it  disagree 
able  to  contemplate.  It  is  natural  for  man  to  hope, 
and  when  he  Las  outlived  hope,  he  has  outlived  his 
manhood  likewise. 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  49 


CHAPTER  IV. 

IN   THE   HOSPITAL   AT   LIBBY. 

November  8.  —  For  some  days  my  health  had  been 
failing,  and  when  at  "  sick  call "  the  Rebel  sergeant 
called  out,  "Fall  in,  sick  !  "  a  friend  gave  me  the  as 
sistance  of  his  arm,  and  I  appeared  before  the  prison 
surgeon. 

With  something  like  the  business  air  with  which 
a  grocery  clerk  would  address  a  country  customer, 
came  the  rapid  questions,  "What  do  you  want? 
Where  are  you  sick  ?  How  long  have  you  been  so  V 
Have  you  taken  any  medicine  ?  "  Then  turning  to 
the  sergeant,  "  Take  this  man  to  the  hospital,"  ended 
the  examination. 

Once  in  the  hospital,  I  was  not  long  in  being  sub 
jected  to  its  peculiar  influence.  There  was  the 
ominous  stillness,  only  broken  by  a  choking  cough 
or  labored  groan ;  there  was  the  chilling  dread,  as 
though  one  were  in  the  immediate  presence  of  death 
and  under  the  ban  of  silence  ;  there  was  the  anxious 
yearning  —  the  almost  frantic  yearning  —  which  one 
feels  in  the  contemplation  of  suffering  which  he  is 
powerless  to  alleviate.  And  worse  than  all,  sqon 
came  that  hardened  feeling  which  a  familiarity  with 
such  scenes  necessitates. 


60  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON   PEN, 

It  is  nothing  more  or  less  than  a  charnel  houae! 
We  are  constantly  in  the  midst  of  the  dead  and  dy 
ing.  I  am  well  aware  that  in  time  of  war,  on  the 
field  of  carnage,  in  camp,  where  the  pestilential 
fevers  rage,  or  in  the  crowded  prisons  of  the  enemy, 
under  such  circumstances  human  life  is  but  little 
valued.  Yet  there  are  moments  amidst  all  these 
scenes,  when  the  awful  reality  seems  to  force  itself 
upon  the  mind  of  every  man  with  power  that  can 
not  be  resisted. 

PREVAILING   DISEASES. 

Scurvy,  chronic  diarrhoea,  and  fever,  arc  the  pre 
vailing  diseases  here,  and  from  their  baneful  effects 
scores  of  our  brave  men  are  dying  daily. 

It  is  well  known  that  scurvy  originates  from  an 
exclusive  diet  of  salt  rations  and  corn  bread.  Its 
most  effectual  cure  is  a  change  to  vegetable  food, 
vinegar,  or  some  other  acid.  Its  first  symptoms  are 
eruptions  on  different  parts  of  the  body.  Soon  it 
locates  —  generally  in  the  ankles.  Jlere  large  sores 
begin  to  form  similar  to  the  first  appearance  of  boils. 
These  deepen  and  spread.  The  limbs  become  swol 
len.  If  not  checked,  it  soon  covers  the  whole  body> 
and  the  flesh  actually  rots  away  and  falls  off  the 
bones.  It  generally  proves  fatal  by  attacking  the 
glands  of  the  throat.  These  swell  enormously,  and 
the  patient  is  often  strangled.  Sometimes  it  locates 
in  the  mouth  ;  in  this  case  the  gums  become  softened 
and  the  teeth  drop  out. 

How  human  beings  could  keep  their  unfortunate 


AND   THE  ESCAPE.  51 

fellows  in  prison,  tormented  by  such  maladies,  where 
they  could  not  or  would  not  afford  them  the  means  of 
relief,  must  remain  forever  a  problem  in  "  secession 
ethics." 

REBEL   SURGEONS. 

November  9.  — The  prison  surgeons  appear  to  be 
gentlemen,  and  treat  us  with  some  little  consideration. 
To  be  sure,  we  are  not  very  exacting,  and  consider 
ourselves  remarkably  fortunate  if  not  subjected  to 
positive  abuse ;  still,  much  credit  is  due  to  many 
of  the  medical  men  of  the  South.  They  seem  dis 
posed  to  make  the  best  possible  use  of  the  means 
placed  at  their  disposal,  and  even  remonstrated  with 
the  Rebel  authorities  for  withholding  those  medicines 
and  comforts  without  which  a  hospital  is  not  a  hos 
pital. 

There  were  exceptions  to  this  rule,  as  I  learned 
from  those  who  were  old  residents  of  the  prison 
when  I  arrived.  Some  of  them  have  been  tyran 
nical  and  abusive.  .Our  own  surgeons  are  permitted 
to  be  among  the  sick,  and  this  is  a  great  comfort. 
Their  prescriptions  are  filled,  so  far  as  the  prison 
dispensary  has  a  supply. 

November  11. — I  arose  this  morning  weak  and 
weary.  To  sleep  during  the  night  was  impossible  ; 
coughed  sevprely  at  intervals.  Pneumonia  is  making 
serious  work  among  the  sick.  Many,  reduced  to 
extreme  weakness  by  fevers  and  diarrhoea,  are  at 
tacked  with  it,  and  cough  their  lives  away.  Tho 


52  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON  PEN, 

climate  seems  favorable  to  the  development  of  pul 
monary  diseases. 

HOSPITAL   EATIOXS. 

Our  rations  in  the  hospital  consist  of  one  small 
slice  of  bread  for  breakfast,  for  dinner  a  table-spoon 
ful  of  rice  and  a  very  small  piece  of  meat,  and  for 
supper  the  same  allowance  as  for  breakfast. 

The  hospital  connected  with  Libby  is  a  room 
about  forty  feet  by  one  hundred  and  twenty.  It  is 
filled  to  its  utmost  capacity,  wliile  many  cannot 
get  admittance,  and  so  die  at  their  quarters  in  the 
upper  rooms.  In  addition  to  this  are  many  other 
hospitals  in  different  parts  of  the  city,  besides  those 
on  Belle  Island. 

November  15.  —  I  am  still  very  weak,  but  think 
my  health  is  improving.  Some  boxes,  sent  by  our 
Sanitary  Commission,  have  been  opened  for  the 
benefit  of  the  sick.  It  was  my  good  fortune  to  get 
some  pickles  with  the  vinegar  about  them.  This 
has  had  the  effect  of  checking  the  scurvy,  and  I  am 
in  a  fair  way  to  recover. 

In  spite  of  the  distressing  circumstances  that  sur 
round  us,  we  yet,  occasionally,  find  something  to 
laugh  at.  A  cheerful  heart -and  a  smiling  face  are 
better  antidotes  to  disease  than  all  the  nostrums  in 
the  calendar;  but  they  are  more  rare  in  southern 
hospitals  than  even  medicines.  He  who  makes  us 
laugh  is  a  real  benefactor.  It  is  generally  consid 
ered  that  when*  a  man  goes  to  the  hospital,  he  goes 
there  to  die.  On  this  supposition  a  poor  fellow, 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  53 

whose  waggery  is  irrepressible,  as  he  was  brought 
into  the  hospital  to-day,  called  out  with  as  loud  a 
voice  as  he  could  muster,  "Hello,  fellers,  I've  got 
leave  to  die,  too." 

The  sickest  could  scarcely  repress  a  smile,  and  all 
felt  as  though  they  had  received  a  tonic. 

EXCHANGE   KUMOES. 

The  medical  gentlemen  in  the  prison  are  on  th&± 
high-heels.  The  Eebs.  tell  them  that  they  are  sou  a 
to  be  exchanged.  Anxiety,  hope,  fear,  and  what 
not,  have  a  strange  effect  upon  them.  They  are 
well  nigh  insane. 

November  23. — The  prospect  of  an  immediate 
exchange  having  vanished,  there  seems  to  be  no 
hope,  for  at  least  one  or  two  months  to  come.  W* 
can  with  but  slight  certainty  predict  the  futui^, 
This  is  true,  under  favorable  circumstances;  but  in 
these  times  of  doubt  and  uncertainty,  we  truly 
know  not  what  a  day  may  bring  forth. 

November  25. — The  exchange  of  surgeons  has 
finally  been  accomplished,  and  there  is  now  a 
general  feeling  of  joy  within  the  walls  of  Libby. 
Although  we  are  still  destined  to  remain,  yet  it  is  a 
bourco  of  joy  to  know  that  some  of  our  number 
are  afforded  the  opportunity  of  leaving  these  exe 
crable  walls. 

Maj.  Turner  issued  the  order  for  surgeons  to  fall 
in,  early  in  the  morning.  There  was  a  general  rush 
among  the  prisoners  to  send  some  word  to  their 

friends  at  home  by  the  liberated.     The  medical  gen- 
3 


34  THE    CAPTURE,    THE   PRISON  PEtf, 

tlemen  were  very  obliging,  but  had  to  be  on  their 
guard.  They  were  carefully  searched  before  leaving, 
and  if  anything  contraband  was  discovered,  it  was 
understood  that  it  would  not  only  be  taken,  but  the 
bearer  be  detained. 

Where  only  one  or  two  were  going,  they  would 
read  the  letters  sent  home  by  the  prisoners,  and  if 
nothing  objectionable  was  found,  let  them  pass.  In 
this  instance,  however,  they  had  no  time  for  so 
minute  an  inspection,  and  necessarily  detained 
everything.  But  they  were  outwitted  by  many 
little  expedients.  Almost  every  button  on  the  coats 
of  those  going  home,  contained  a  good-sized  letter 
written  on  tissue  paper.  These  buttons  could  be 
easily  taken  apart.  The  soles  of  their  shoes  and 
boots  were  loosened  and  papers  put  between  them. 
The  crowns  of  hats  and  caps  were  ripped  apart,  filled 
with  letters,  and  sewed  together  again.  Every  device 
was  resorted  to  that  offered  a  prospect  of  success. 

The  chief  thing  desired  by  the  prisoners  was,  that 
their  friends  might  learn  the  secret  of  communicat 
ing  with  them  without  the  knowledge  of  the  Rebel 
authorities.  One  wrote  to  bid  friends  to  hold  his 
letters  to  the  fire,  that  the  writing  might  become 
visible.  Another  directed  a  box  to  be  sent  him  with 
greenbacks  hidden  in  a  roll  of  butter,  OF  in  a  piece 
I  of  cheese,  or  inside  a  pickle  in  a  bottle  of  vinegar. 

What  we  most  expect,  however,  is  that  the  sur 
geons  will  make  such  representations  to  the  authori 
ties  at  Washington  as  will  bring  about  a  general 
exchange.  Situated  as  we  are,  we  cannot  see  why 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  55 

cannot  be  readily  accomplished.  Surely  prison 
ers  ought  not  to  be  subjected  to  such  treatment  in 
a  Christian  land,  and  Church  and  State  be  power 
less  to  help  them.  Truly  we  looked  for  more  con 
sideration  at  the  hands  of  our  Christian  brethren 
and  fellow-countrymen. 

Our  present  condition  seems  more  like  a  cruel 
dream  of  the  old  barbarous  times  than  a  reality  of 
the  nineteenth  century  in  civilized  America. 

Received  the  "  Richmond  Sentinel  "  this  morning 
from  a  friend  up  stairs,  who  conveyed  it  to  me 
through  the  key-hole.  This  key-hole  is  in  an  unused 
door  which  has  been  nailed  up  and  the  lock  removed, 
leaving  this  means  of  communication  exposed,  and 
as  it  has  gradually  grown  larger  with  use,  it  is  of 
some  service  to  us. 


Every  day  a  jolly  old  negro  goes  along  past  the 
prison  crying,  "  Great  tallyraphic  news  in  de  papers  I 
Mighty  news  from  de  Army  of  Northern  Virginy  I 
Great  fightin'  in  de  Souf-west  I  " 

It  is  astonishing  how  the  cry  thrills  us.  It  has  a 
home  sound,  and  we  forget  for  the  moment  that  we 
are  prisoners  in  the  land  of  Secessia.  These  papers 
we  have,  at  times,  been  permitted  to  purchase  at 
cprices  ranging  from  twenty-five  cents  (two  bits)  to 
one  dollar. 

Here  we  get  the  southern  accounts  of  the  war, 
with  customary  embellishments.  Whenever  they 
are  full  of  bluster,  braggadocia,  and  abuse,  we  know 


56  THE    CAPTURED    THE   PRISON  PEN, 

it  has  been  going  ill  with  the  Rebels.  When  the 
tone  is  mild  and  reasonable  and  conciliatory,  we 
have  reason  to  believe  that  things  go  on  swimmingly 
with  them.  Thus  we  interpret  their  accounts,  as 
gypsies  interpret  dreams. 

November  26.  —  This  is  Thanksgiving  day.  "We 
may  feel  —  and  indeed  are  —  thankful  that  our  con 
dition,  bad  even  as  it  is,  is  no  worse. 

Under  the  very  worst  circumstances  allotted  to 
mortals,  we  can  still  imagine  something  worse,  and 
ought  to  be  thankful.  The  Scotch  divine,  who  was 
subject  to  gout  and  rheumatism,  used  to  thank  the 
Lord,  when  suffering  with  the  former  that  it  was  not 
the  latter ;  when  the  latter  got  hold  of  him,  he  was 
thankful  that  he  had  not  both  at  once ;  and  when 
both  seized  him  at  once,  he  was  more  thankful  than 
ever  that  he  had  not  the  toothache  at  the  same 
time. 

Still,  we  make  no  Very  special  point  of  being 
thankful.  There  are  no  chaplains  with  us,  and  no 
religious  exercises  have  been  held.  There  is  no 
danger  of  its  being  turned  into  a  day  of  feasting ; 
for  our  stinted  allowance  will  not  admit  of  that. 
Maj.  Turner  allowed  an  issue  of  the  remaining  few 
of  *  our  private  boxes  this  morning,  which  have  been 
in  his  possession  for  the  past  two  mohths.  They 
were  all  broken  open,  and  were  generally  stripped 
01  everything  which  could  be  of  any  use  to  us. 
They  were  plundered  by  the  common  soldiers  of  the 
regiment  doing  guard  duty  here,  under  the  eyes  and 
with  the  permission  of  the  prison  authorities.  Were 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  57 

we  among  barbarians,  such  treatment  would  be 
nothing  more  than  we  might  reasonably  expect. 
But  among  civilized  men,  who  acknowledge  that  a 
God  of  justice  rules  among  the  nations  of  the  earth, 
with  the  name  of  Christian  ever  on  their  lips,  it  is 
not  endurable  ! 

This  day  calls  to  mind  some  days  of  thanksgiving 
instituted  by  Rebels.  What  they  had  to  be  thank 
ful  for,  nobody  knows.  Yet  these  same  men,  who 
deliberately  starved  and  froze  our  unfortunate  sol 
diers,  would  lift  their  hands  to  Heaven  with  as  much 
fervor  as  a  dying  saint,  thankful  perhaps  that  the 
strength  and  means  had  been  given  them  to  torment 
their  fellow-men.  Thankful  that  .their  armies  were 
occasionally  successful  in  their  strife  against  the  best 
and  freest  and  most  liberal  government  on  earth. 
Thankful  that  the  chains  were  tightening  on  the 
limbs  of  the  bondman.  Thankful  that  a  fierce  and 
cruel  aristocracy  were  triumphing  over  the  equal 
rights  of  the  people  ;  at  least  so  they  thought  as  they 
turned  their  blood-stained  palms  heavenward.  And 
they  thanked  God  for  these  results.  A  greater 
mistake  was  never  made,  as  we  confidently  believe. 

If  history  thanks  God  for  these  seemingly  retro 
grade  movements  of  freedom,  I  question  whether 
the  Rebels  of  the  present  day  will  join  in  the  pean. 

November  27, — Brings  us  a  mail  from  the  North. 
I  was  so  fortunate  as  to  receive  two  letters.  They 
were  indeed  like  "  cold  water  to  a  thirsty  soul."  No 
one  can  appreciate  the  value  of  a  bit  of  paper  crossed 
with  familiar  lines  and  home  thoughts  until  they 


58  THE   CAPTURED    THE  PRISON  PEN, 

receive  it  under  such  circumstances.  The  reception 
of  these  letters,  however,  is  an  unusual  occurrence ; 
for  we  are  seldom  permitted  to  correspond  with 
our  friends ;  and  then  only  under  the  most  cruel  re 
strictions.  Our  letters  are  limited  to  six  lines  of 
ordinary  note  paper,  including  date,  signature,  and 
address.  They  are  carefully  criticised  by  the  Rebel 
authorities,  and  no  information  concerning  our  true 
condition  is  allowed  to  be  sent.  Every  scheme  that 
could  be  divined  to  outwit  the  Rebels  has  been  re 
sorted  to,  and  successful  to  some  extent ;  for  Gen. 
Dow  and  many  other  prisoners  have  learned  the  se 
cret  of  writing  with  "invisible  ink,"  which  is  nothing 
more  than  a  solution  of  soda  or  saleratus.  This 
leaves  no  impression  on  the  paper  until  it  is  heated, 
when  it  becomes  quite  distinct,  and  may  be  easily 
read.  But  this  secret  was  at  length  discovered ;  it 
occurred  in  this  wise  :  A  captain,  writing  to  a  fair 
and  undoubtedly  very  dear  friend,  could  not  brook 
to  be  limited  to  only  six  lines,  when  he  had  so  much 
to  communicate ;  so,  resorting  to  this  mixture,  he 
completely  filled  the  sheet  with  "  soft  and  winning 
words ; "  and  then,  fearing  lest  his  fair  dulcenea 
would  not  discover  the  secret,  added,  — 

"Now,  my  dear,  read  this  over,  and  then  bake  it 
in  the  oven  and  read  it  again." 

This  was  too  much.  The  Rebels  thinking  that  if 
the  letter  would  improve  by  baking  it  might  be  well 
to  improve  it  at  once,  accordingly  held  it  to  the  fire. 
This  brought  to  light  four  closely- written  pages  of 
the  tenderest  and  most  heart-rending  sentiment. 


AND   THE  ESCAPE.  59 

The  hard-hearted  wretches  were  not  in  the  least 
affected  by  the  soul-stirring  appeals,  but  threw  it 
into  the  fire.  Since  then  our  correspondence  has 
been  carefully  scrutinized,  and  will  doubtless  in  the 
future  be  subjected  to  all  manner  of  tests. 

GEN.    NEAL   DOW, 

Of  Maine,  is  the  highest  in  rank  of  the  officers  con 
fined  here.  He  makes  no  very  imposing  appear 
ance  ;  wears  an  old  red  skull-cap,  which  gives 
him  the  appearance  of  a  Turk,  and  minds  his  own 
business.  The  Rebels,  in  particular,  find  him  very 
reticent.  He  seems  to  have  a  perfect  contempt  for 
traitors,  and  scarcely  ever  speaks  to  them.  They, 
in  turn,  hate  him  very  much  worse  than  they  do  the 
devil.  Several  times  during  his  imprisonment  they 
refused  to  exchange  on  direct  application  from  our 
Government. 

The  general  has  not  recovered  from  his  Maine- 
law  proclivities  by  any  means.  He  very  often 
discourses  to  us  from  his  corner  on  the  subject  of 
temperance,  and  sends  home  his  thrusts  with  all  his 
former  vigor. 

He  is  also  something  of  a  wit.  The  prison  is  alive 
with  vermin,  and  so  is  the  general.  One  day  while 
silting  on  his  blanket  searching  his  clothes,  an  officer 
said  to  him,  "  What,  general !  are  you  lousy  ?  "  "No," 
said  the  general,  "  I  ain't,  but  my  shirt  is.* 

Many  of  his  letters,  written  to  friends  in  the  North, 
with  invisible  ink,  have  been  published ;  but  his  lit 
erary  labors  are  at  an  end  for  the  present  at  least. 


60  THE    CAPTURE,    THE   PRISON  PEN, 

November  28.  —  Some  of  our  senior  officers  have 
complained  to  the  prison  authorities  in  relation  to 
our  rations,  but  to  no  purpose.  You  might  as  well 
approach  a  granite  rock,  with  expectation  of  receiv 
ing  sympathy ;  for  they  are  perfectly  hardened  to 
all  feelings  of  humanity,  and  are  only  delighted 
with  the  intensity  of  our  sufferings. 

We  are  becoming  accustomed  to  the  sensations 
of  hunger.  A  continual  gnawing  at  the  stomach 
has  become -chronic,  and  is  little  regarded,  yet  is 
surely  having  its  legitimate  effects  on  our  health 
and  constitutions. 

The  ravages  of  death  are  spreading  most  fearfully 
among  our  enlisted  men  on  Belle  Island,  and  in  the 
various  hospitals  of  the  city. 

BURIAL    OF   THE   DEAD. 

The  burial  of  the  dead  is  a  very  business-like 
affair.  As  fast  as  men  die  they  are  carried  out  to 
the  "  dead  house"  and  piled  up,  much  as  bags  of  corn 
would  be,  until  there  are  enough  for  a  load,  when 
the  keeper  calls  out  to  the  prison  carter,  "  A  load 
of  dead  Yankees !  Drive  up  your  mule."  The 
carter  then  drives  up,  and  takes  in  his  loaol  with  as 
much  unconcern  as  though  he  were  drawing  wood 
or  other  art'cfos. 

ESCAPE   OF  DEAD  YANKEES. 

At  first  there  was  no  such  officer  as  "  dead-house 
keeper,"  but  it  was  noticed  that  some  how  the  dead 
Yankees  often  came  up  missing  —  concluding  to 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  61 

bury  themselves,  or  get  along  without  burial ;  and 
after  this  the  dead  were  under  surveillance,  as  well 
as  the  living. 

Escaping  was  a  regular  trade.  The  first  move 
was  to  play  sick,  and  get  into  the  hospital.  The 
next  move  was  to  bribe,  or  otherwise  influence,  the 
hospital  steward,  who  was  generally  a  Federal 
soldier,  and  get  them  to  agree  to  do  the  "  carrying 
out."  The  next  move  was  to  get  so  sick  that  the 
Rebel  surgeon  would  say,  "he  must  die."  The  last 
performance  of  the  sick  man  was  to  die  in  agony, 
and  be  carried  to  the  dead  house.  His  future 
movements  were  not  very  well  understood,  but 
some  how  the  corpse  was  never  seen  more.  Inge 
nuity  was  tasked  to  the  utmost  to  devise  means  of 
escape.  Yankee  brass  was  almost  invariably  more 
than  a  match  for  all  obstacles. 

A  EEBEL  SURGEON  OUTWITTED  BY  A  YANKEE  TAILOK. 

A  major,  whose  name  I  have  forgotten,  made  his 
escape  a  short  time  before  I  entered  the  hospital, 
and  deserves  a  medal  for  it.  He  had  been  a  tailor 
before  entering  the  service,  and  as  the  Rebels  had 
a  high  opinion  of  Yankee  handicraft,  the  prison 
surgeon  sent  him  his  coat  to  be  remodelled  after  a 
northern  pattern. 

The  work  was  made  to  last  until  about  dusk,  when 

the  tailor  soldier  put  on  the  surgeon's  coat,  .and 

taking  with  him  a  friend  as  hospital  steward,  coolly 

walked  out  into  the  street,  and  neither  of    them 

3* 


62  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON  PEN, 

were  heard  of  again  until  they  reached  the  Federal 
lines. 

November  29.  —  More  letters  reached  us  to-day, 
bringing  to  rne  the  sad  news  of  the  death  of  a  sister. 
Oh,  how  inexpressibly  sad  do  such  tidings  strike 
the  heart.  In  the  very  midst  of  death,  I  am  per 
mitted  to  drag  out  a  weary  life,  while  dear  ones  in 
a  land  of  health  and  plenty  are  struck  down  by  the 
fatal  shafts.  Her  death  occurred  on  the  20th  of 
October,  the  day  after  my  capture.  Just  as  I  was 
thrust  into  prison  and  doubly  bound  to  the  grovel 
ling  discomforts  of  earth,  she  was  released  from  the 
prison-house  of  clay,  and  received,  I  trust,  into  the 
joyous  freedom  of  Heaven. 

Our  lives  are  all  in  the  hands  of  him  w  who  doeth 
all  things  well."  He  appoints  us  a  period  of  exist 
ence,  and  appoints  a  moment  to  depart.  All  other 
influences  are  subordinate  to  his  will. 

"  What  can  preserve  our  lives  —  or  what  destroy? 
An  angel's  arm  can't  snatch  us  from  the  grave  — 
Legions  of  angels  can't  confine  us  there." 

BRAGG 'S  DEFEAT. 

November  30.  — The  Rebels  are  now  smarting  un 
der  the  severe  defeat  of  Gen.  Bragg,  and  although 
desirous  of  keeping  us  in  ignorance  of  our  success, 
yet  we  have  been  able  to  gather  nearly  all  of  the 
particulars.  It  seems  that  Gen.  Hooker,  on  the 
24th,  succeeded  in  carrying,  by  assault,  the  northern 
elope  of  Lookout  Mountain,  while  Gen.  Sherman, 


,  AND    THE  ESCAPE.  63 

co-operating  with  him,  crossed  the  river  at  the  mouth 
of  the  South  Chickamauga.  After  meeting  an  ob 
stinate  resistance,  he  at  last  succeeded  in  capturing 
the  northern  extremity  of  Missionary  Ridge.  Owing 
to  the  combined  success  of  Hooker  and  Sherman, 
the  enemy  abandoned  Lookout  Mountain  during  the 
night,  retiring  toward  Chickamauga.  Early  the  next 
morning  the  battle  was  commenced  with  renewed 
energy  by  Gen.  Sherman,  who  made  an  assault  upon 
the  enemy  at  the  northern  end  of  Missionary  Ridge- 
But  our  troops  met  with  a  severe  repulse.  Tho 
field  was  hotly  contested  with  varied  fortune  until 
three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  when  Gen.  Grant, 
by  hurling  two  columns  against  their  centre,  forced 
them  back,  and  gained  possession  of  the  ridge.  The 
enemy,  once  routed,  retired  rapidly  toward  Dalton, 
Ga.,  being  hotly  pressed  by  our  forces  as  far  as 
Ringold.  The  Rebels  admit  a  loss  of  six  thousand 
prisoners,  seven  thousand  stand  of  small  arms,  and 
upwards  of  fifty  pieces  of  artillery.  They  regard 
this  as  one  of  the  severest  defeats  that  they  have 
sustained  since  the  war  began. 

Many  jokes  were  perpetrated  on  Gen.  Bragg,  as 
a  result  of  his  defeat.  In  telegraphing  an  account 
of  the  battle  to  the  Confederate  government  he  had 
been  extremely  laconic  and  quite  as  unsatisfactory, 
merely  stating  that  "  his  left  centre  had  been  badly 
pressed  by  the  enemy." 

Some  of  the  prisoners  had  improvised  a  minstrel 
troupe,  of  which  Adjt.  P.  O.  Jones  was  manager. 
All  the  tables  had  been  moved  to  one  side  of  the  cook- 


04  THE   CAPTURED    THE  PRISON 

room  to  serve  as  a  stage,  and  the  performance  was 
announced  to  come  off  at  a  certain  hour.  When 
the  time  arrived  no  Jones  was  to  be  found.  An 
hour  or  two  after  he  came  in,  and  was  severely  taken 
to  task  for  his  absence,  when  he  turned  to  the  spec 
tators,  and  with  an  air  of  injured  innocence  said,  "I 
tell  you,  gentlemen,  I  have  the  best  excuse  in  the 
world  for  my  absence.  My  left  centre  was  badly 
pressed  by  the  enemy,  and  I  was  compelled  to 
retire." 

December  1. — The  weather  is  extremely  cold, 
and  the  sufferings  of  the  prisoners  in  the  upper 
rooms  are  indescribable,  owTiug  to  the  want  of  blan 
kets  and  clothing.  There  are  no  fires,  and,  as  yet, 
there  is  but  little  prospect  of  their  being  furnished 
with  stoves.  Many  of  our  men  on  Belle  Island 
are  dying  daily  from  exposure.  Large  numbers  of 
the  prisoners  have  no  blankets,  and  are  poorly  clad. 
They  are  compelled  to  walk  during  the  night-time 
to  keep  from  freezing. 

POSITION  OF  THE  ARMIES. 

This  morning  we  obtained  the  "Richmond  En 
quirer"  through  one  of  our  guards.  It  is  thought 
that  Gen.  Meade  will  soon  come  in  contact  with 
Gen.  Lee.  Both  armies  are  now  drawn  up  in  line 
of  battle,  on  opposite  sides  of  Mine  Run.  The 
Rebels  seem  to  be  greatly  alarmed  at  the  critical 
state  of  affairs,  and  we  are  most  deeply  interested 
in  the  result  of  the  movement,  which  we  earnestly 
hope  may,  in  addition  to  the  defeat  of  Gen.  Lee 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  65 

and  the  capture  of  Richmond,  release  tw  forever 
from  these  filthy  dungeons. 

PLANS  FOR  ESCAPE. 

I  have  heen  communicating  with  Lieut.  S.  IT. 
Tresouthick,  Eighteenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry, 
through  the  key-hole,  nearly  all  day,  with  regard  to 
various  plans  of  escape.  All  I  have  to  do  is,  to  go 
to  the  head  of  the  stairs  and  push  a  paper  through 
the  key-hole  when  no  Rebel  officers  are  near,  and  it 
will  be  carried  to  the  man  to  whom  it  is  directed. 

To  give  somewhat  of  a  correct  idea  of  the  plans 
proposed,  I  will  give  a  short  description  of  the  dif 
ferent  rooms  in  the  prison.  There  are  three  stories 
besides  the  basement.  Each  floor  is  divided  into 
three  rooms  fifty  feet  by  one  hundred  and  twenty. 
The  basement  is  similarly  divided,  and  is  used  as  a 
cook-room  and  store-house.  The  hospital  room  is 
en  the  first  floor  above  the  basement,  and  the  room 
corresponding  to  this,  on  the  next  floor  above,  is 
the  one  occupied  by  Lieut.  Tresouthick.  There  are 
sinks  built  on  the  outside  of  the  building  at  the 
same  height  as  each  story,  and  running  the  whole 
length  of  the  prison. 

Tresouthick  first  proposed  that  he  should  feign 
sickness  and  get  into  the  hospital,  and  I  in  the 
mean  time  should,  with  a  saw-backed  knife,  cut  a 
board  out  of  the  sink  large  enough  to  let  us 
through. 

After  an  investigation,  it  was  found  that  our 
opening  would  let  us  through  directly  opposite  tho 


66  THE   CAPTURE,    THE   PRISON  PEtf, 

guard,  whom  we  had  no  means  of  passing;  conse 
quently,  this  plan  had  to  be  given  up. 

I  then  proposed  that  he  should  get  into  the  hos 
pital  as  before  arranged,  and  I  would  manage  to  get 
a  piece  of  rope  eight  orten  feet  long,  and  then  some 
dark,  rainy. night  we  would  steal  down  into  the 
basement,  the  outside  doors  of  which  are  not  locked 
till  ten  o'clock  P.  M.,  and  await  our  opportunity. 

When  the  sentinel's  back  is  turned  we  will  rush 
past  him  on  either  side,  and  with  the  rope  trip  him 
down,  hoping  to  be  beyond  the  reach  of  his  musket 
before  he  can  fire. 

This  plan  seems  to  suit  the  lieutenant,  and  we 
must  wait  for  his  admission  to  the  hospital.  He 
commenced  to  be  slightly  sick  two  or  three  days 
ago,  he  tells  me. 

Decembers.  —  This  morning  I  read  the"Kich- 
mond  Sentinel,"  which  was  passed  to  me  through 
the  previously-described  key-hole  by  friend  Rich 
ardson.  Gen.  Meade  is  reported  to  be  retiring  in 
the  direction  of  Fredericksburg.  The  object  of  the 
movement  is  not  understood  here. 

BELLE   ISLAND. 

A  small  portion  of  the  clothing  sent  on  by  our 
Government  is  now  being  issued  to  the  enlisted  men 
on  Belle  Island.  Col.  J.  M.  Sanderson,  of  our 
service,  is  permitted  to  make  the  issue.  The  pris 
oners  are  in  a  state  of  utter  destitution,  and  the 
clothing  cannot  be  distributed  without  guards ;  the 
pc  or  boys,  having  freen  so  long  destitute,  and  having 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  67 

almost  perished  for  the  want  of  sufficient  covering, 
now  rush  upon  the  party  making  the  issue,  and 
take  such  articles  as  they  need.  There  is  no  way 
of  keeping  them  in  restraint,  but  by  military  force. 
There  is  much  misery  here,  caused  by  a  disregard 
of  justice.  Could  all  the  corruption  and  consequent 
suffering  be  known,  it  would  be  a  dark  spot  upon 
the  annals  of  American  history. 

Tresouthick's  illness  progresses  finely,  and  we 
have  hopes  of  being  able  to  take  advantage  of  it 
soon.  He  has  only  to  present  himself  before  the 
surgeon  a  sufficient  number  of  times,  and  insist  that 
he  is  very  sick,  in  order  to  be  admitted  to  the  hos 
pital,  as  we  think. 

December  8.  — The  weather  is  a  little  more  mild 
to-day,  and  I  find  my  health  gradually  improving. 
The  greater  portion  of  my  time  is  now  occupied  in 
reading  "Napoleon  and  his  Marshals."  I  make  it 
a  daily  practice  to  read  the  Bible,  and  to  commit  a 
portion  of  St.  Matthew. 

AMUSEMENTS. 

There  are  games  of  amusement  among  us,  which 
I  sometimes  participate  in ;  the  most  popular  are 
chess,  checkers,  dominoes,  and  cards.  This  evening 
I  had  a  game  of  chess  with  Lieut.  Carter,  formerly 
of  Baltimore. 

Games  of  all  kinds  are  vigorously  plied  to  pass 
away  time.  Looking  into  any  of  the  large  rooms, 
you  may  see  a  party  in  one  corner  playing  chess  on 
a  board  marked  out  on  the  floor,  with  chess  men 


68  THE    CAPTURE,    THE   PRISON- 

made  of  beef  bones.  In  another  corner,  a  group 
are  playing  checkers  in  the  same  manner,  with  but 
tons  and  wooden  men.  Others  are  huddled  together 
around  a  set  of  dominoes,  which  they  are  rattling 
with  considerable  vigor. 

Everywhere,  and  at  all  times,  you  may  see  the 
inevitable  greasy  cards  ;  and  euchre,  whist,  and  bluff, 
go  the  rounds  in  rapid  succession. 

Here  a  group  of  lawyers  are  holding  a  moot-court, 
with  a  grave  judge  opposite,  and  a  panel  of  duly- 
sworn  jurymen  sitting  on  the  floor  along  the  sides. 
Acres  of  valuable  land  have  changed  hands  under, 
their  decisions.  Horses  have  been  adjudged  to  be 
long  here  and  cows  there,  and  dogs  anywhere  and 
everywhere.  Nearly  every  man  of  the  number  has 
failed  in  business,  and  a  large  per  cent,  have  been 
divorced;  and  lastly,  judge  and  jury  have  unani 
mously  decided,  that  they  all  be  sent  home  without 
a  moment's  delay,  times  without  number. 

Debating  clubs  are  settling  important  questions  in 
different  parts  of  the  room,  and  youthful  orators  are 
constraining  prison-life  to  give  grace  to  their  ges 
tures  and  fluency  to  their  tongues. 

Finally,  from  some  distant  corner,  may  be  heard 
the  winning  words  of  the  gospel.  An  old  gray- 
haired  man,  it  may  be,  is  telling  an  attentive  com 
pany  of  younger  men  how  precious  the  religion  of 
Christ  is  to  him  in  the  midst  of  his  sufferings. 
Hymns  are  sung,  prayers  are  offered,  and  souls  are 
refreshed. 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  69 

Many  are  indifferent  to  all  these  things,  and  aro 
sleeping  on  the  floor. 

In  this  way  the  time  is  passed,  and  in  infinitely 
more  ways,  which  the  ingenuity  of  idle  men  will 
suggest. 

Getting  into  the  hospital  is  no  easy  matter,  but 
Tresouthick  is  sicker  than  he  was,  and  has  good 
hopes. 

AN  ESCAPE   AND   ITS   CONSEQUENCES. 

December  12.  — Last  night  Capts.  Anderson  and 
Skelton  made  their  escape  by  bribing  the  guard. 
Skelton  had  been  wounded,  under  Grant,  before 
Vicksburg,  and  captured.  A  few  days  after,  he 
made  his  appearance  in  Libby,  with  a  patch  over  his 
eye  and  a  green  cap  drawn  over  his  head,  smoking 
a  cigar  as  complacently  as  though  nothing  had  hap 
pened.  A  ball  had  entered  his  eye  and  come  out 
behind  his  ear.  Although  bright  as  ever,  he  feigned 
dulness,  and  so  was  retained  in  the  hospital.  An 
derson  was  just  admitted,  and  with  all  the  money 
they  could  muster  they  bribed  a  guard  to  let  them 
out.  \ 

This  morning  at  roll-call  two  bunks  were  empty, 
but  after  the  sergeant  had  gone  down  one  tier,  two 
men  left  their  bunks,  and  went  to  those  of  Anderson 
and  Skelton,  so.  their  absence  was  not  observed. 
When  the  surgeon  came,  however,  he  missed  Skel 
ton  at  once,  as  he  was  "a  very  noticeable  man." 
The  alarm  was  immediately  given;  but,  as  yet, 
nothing  kas  been  heard  of  the  escaping  party. 


70  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON  PEN, 

But  little  wood  has  been  issued  ;  and  our  hitherto 
scanty  rations  have  been  reduced  as  a  punishment 
for  the  escape  of  Anderson  and  Skelton.  It  seems 
to  be  an  established  custom  with  Maj.  Turner  to 
punish  all  the  prisoners  for  the  escape  of  a  single 
man  from  his  number ;  and  we  now  expect  the  most 
cruel  exposure  to  cold  and  hunger  for  several  days 
to  come. 


AND   THE  ESCAPE.  71 


CHAPTEE   V. 

EETURN  FROM  THE   HOSPITAL. 

.  THE  exit  of  Anderson  and  Skelton  has  exaspe 
rated  the  prison  authorities  terribly,  and  most  of  all 
because  their  success  was  due  to  the  treachery  of 
their  own  guards.  Thus  our  prospect  of  an  escape 
has  vanished,  and  we  must  take  our  chances  with 
the  others  in  the  upper  rooms.  It  has  had  a  decided 
effect  on  Tresouthick's  "health,"  however.  He  is 
much  better  to-day,  and  will  probably  recover  much 
faster  than  he  got  sick. 

December  26.  —  There  has  been  much  excitement 
to-day  concerning  an  exchange  of  prisoners.  Capt. 
Sawyer  of  the  First  New  Jersey  Cavalry  has  re 
ceived  a  letter  from  Maj.  Mulford,  our  Commissioner 
of  Exchange,  in  which  prospects  of  an  exchange  of 
all  the  prisoners  confined  are  mentioned.  There  are 
many  conflicting  opinions  and  warm  discussions.  It 
is  rumored  that  thirty  officers  and  five  hundred  men 
are  already  declared  exchanged.  There  seems  to  be 
much  hilarity  among  the  prisoners ;  yet  I  fear,  as 
has  been  too  often  the  case,  we  shall  be  disappointed. 
True,  we  cannot  but  feel  great  anxiety  for  our  re 
lease  ;  yet  such  reports  have  been  so  often  afloat, 


72  THE   CAPTURE,  THE  PRISON  PEN, 

that  I  can  place  but  little  confidence  in  anything  that 
may  be  said  in  relation  to  this  subject. 

Sawyer  has  come  to  be  our  best  authority  on  ex 
change,  and  expresses  his  opinions  with  all  the  bom 
bast  and  assurance  of  a  Wall-street  broker.  This 
is  the  Capt.  Sawyer,  who,  with  Capt.  Flynn  of  the 
Fifty-first  Indiana  Infantry,  was  sentenced  to  be 
shot  in  retaliation  for  two  Rebel  officers  tried  and 
shot  by  Burnside,  in  Kentucky,  for  recruiting  within 
the  Federal  lines. 

Flynn  was  a  modest  man,  and  bore  his  notoriety 
commendably.  Sawyer  did  a  great  deal  of  talking, 
and  made  himself  a  mark  for  many  rich  jokes.  The 
prisoners  often  remarked  that  they  would  give  a 
thousand  dollars  to  be  shot  as  Sawyer  was. 

HOSTAGES  DESTINED  FOR  SALISBURY. 

A  short  time  since  twenty-four  captains  were  or.- 
dered  down  to  Maj.  Turner's  office  to  draw  for  the 
chances  of  going  to  Salisbury,  N.  C.  Three  were 
to  be  chosen  as  hostages  for  some  Rebel  officers 
confined  in  the  penitentiary  at  Alton,  111.  The  lots 
fell  on  Capts.  Julius  L.  Litchfielcl  of  the  Fourth 
Maine  Infantry,  Edward  E.  Chase,  First  Rhode 
Island  Cavalry,  and  Charles  Kendall  of  the  Signal 
Corps.  Last  night  they  were  ordered  out  and  sent 
to  their  destination,  where  they  are  sentenced  to 
hard  labor.* 

*  TVe  afterwards  learned  that  they  refused  to  work,  and 
were  never  compelled  to. 


AND   THE  ESCAPE.  75 

December  31.  —This  day  closes  up  the  old  year, 
and  soon,  if  life  is  spared,  we  shall  enter  upon  the 
duties  ef  the  new ;  and  what  shall  be  the  issues  of 
the  coming  year  none  of  us  can  tell.  There  is  an 
air  of  sadness  observable  on  the  countenances  of 
many,  while  others,  thinking  of  the  festivities  of 
other  days,  on  the  occasion  of  this  anniversary,  seem 
-desirous  of  celebrating  as  they  were  wont  to  do  in 
the  more  peaceful  days  of  yore.  Many  are  making 
preparations  to  have  a  dance  in  the  "cook-room"  this 
evening.  Evening  advances,  and  with  its  onward 
march  the  dance  ensues.  For  a  time  the  prisoners 
seemed  to  forget  that  they  were  securely  enclosed 
within  these  inhospitable  prison  walls.  The- merri 
ment  and  hilarity  still  continued  till  the  old  year 
passed  away  to  return  no  more. 

Some,  apparently  disgusted  with  the  reckless 
merriment,  collected  in  groups,  and  sang  in  full' 
chorus,  national  songs,  till  the  old  year  was  gone. 
"The  Star-Spangled  Banner,"  "Red,  White,  and 
Blue,"  "Rally  Bound  the  Flag,  Boys,"  etc.,  pealed 
through  the  long  rooms  with  terrible  emphasis,  and 
when  the  chorus,  — 

"  The  Union  forever,  —  hurrah,  boys,  hurrah  ! 
Down  with  the  traitors  and  up  with  the  stars, 
While  we  rally  round  the  Flag-,  boys,  rally  once  again ! 
Shouting  the  battle-cry  of  Freedom  ! " 

was  reiterated  again  and  again,  with  significant 
beating  of  feet,  it  seemed  as  if  the  very  roof  must 
give  way  before  the  accumulated  volume  of  sound. 


76  THE   CAPTURE,  THE  PRISON  PEN, 

Some,  as  quietly  as  they  might,  in  the  midst  of 
so  much  noise,  watched  the  old  year  out,  according 
to  custom,  with  prayer  and  religious  songs.  All 
made  a  "  watch-night "  of  it,  for  sleep  was  out  of  the 
question. 

Some  time  ago  a  contribution  was  taken  up  among 
the  prisoners,  of  the  little  money  they  had  kept 
concealed  from  the  prison  authorities,  and  some 
musical  instruments  purchased.  A  bass-viol,  violin, 
and  banjo,  compose  our  orchestra — besides  a  bushel 
or  more  of  "  bones." 

These  were  on  "  extra  duty "  during  the  whole 
night,  and  certainly  tended  to  cause  us  to  forget  our 
aches  and  privations.  Such  jollification  the  Rebels 
allowed,  I  suppose,  because  they  happened  to  be  in 
good  humor,  or  had  amusements  of  their  own  to 
attend  to. 

THE   NEW  YEAR  IN  LIBBY. 

January  1,  1864.  —  Another  year  has  been 
ushered:  in  to  mark  an  important  period  in  the 
world's  history.  Its  records  will,  ere  long,  be  fixed 
by  the  historian,  and  posterity  shall  know  the  suc 
cesses  and  defeats,  the  trials  and  sufferings,  of  the 
present  eventful  epoch. 

Some  little  attempt  has  been  made  by  the  cooks 
to  give  us  a t:  New  Year's  dinner,"  alth  Dugh  no  extra 
rations  have  been  issued.  For  instance,  instead  of 
simply  boiled  rice  and  corn-cakes,  they  have  given 
us  rice  soup,  or  rice-water  and  gruel ;  rice  pudding, 
that  is,  boiled  rice  mixed  with  corn  meal  and  water ; 


AMD    THE   ESCAPE.  77 

corn-meal  pudding,  which  is  meal-batter  mixed  with 
boiled  rice ;  then  we  have  had  boiled  rice  and  corn- 
bread,  pure,  unmixed,  a  la  Libby.  Thus  we  have 
had  unity,  or  at  least  duality,  in  the  midst  of  variety 
-—  which  is  an  excellent  thing. 

January  2. — The  following  is  the  daily  allow 
ance  of  rations  issued  to  us  by  the  prison  authorities  : 
About  three-fourths  of  a  pound  of  corn-bread,  one 
gill  of  rice,  one-half  pound  of  beef,  and  a  very 
little  salt.  On  such  rations  we  are  left  to  live  or 
die.  Groceries  can  be  purchased  of  the  prison  com 
missary  at  the  following  rates  :  — 

Potatoes,  per  bushel, $40 

Onions,     ««                      50 

Wheat  bread,  6  oz.  loaves,                     »        .        .  1 

Butter,  per  Ib *        .  10 

Lard,      "      " 8 

Sugar,    "      •• .6 

Coffee,    "      «• 10 

Tea,        "      " 12 

Eggs,  per  doz., ,6 

At  the  above  prices  the  prisoners  may  purchase 
the  necessaries  of  life  by  disposing  of  their  clothing, 
rings,  and  anything  else  of  value  which  it  may  be 
their  good  fortune  to  possess. 

PUNISHMENT    FOR    SINGING   OUR   NATIONAL   SONGS. 

January  24. — It  has  all  along  been  our  custom 
to  go  down  to  the  cook-room  occasionally,  for  a 
promenade,  ^there  being  more  room  for  exercise 
there  than  in  our  own  quarters.  It  is  a  great  relief 
to  walk  without  being  constantly  compelled  to  exer- 


78  THE    CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON  PEN, 

cise  care  lest  you  step  on  some  one.  I  went  clown 
List  evening  for  a  walk,  and  there  found  about  sixty 
prisoners  inarching  around  the  room  at  double-quick, 
in  column  of  fours.  I  fell  in  with  them,  and  all 
commenced  singing  "  Star-Spangled  Banner,"  "Rally 
Round  the  Flag,  Boys,"  etc. 

This  had  continued  for  some  time,  when  the  door 
leading  into  the  street  suddenly  opened,  and  a  squad 
of  armed  Rebels  filed  in.  Maj.  Turner  was  at  their 
head,  and  quickly  crossing  the  room  and  placing 
himself  at  the  door  leading  up  stairs  to  prevent  any 
of  us  from  escaping  from  the  room,  he  began,  "Now 
then,  you  damned  boisterous  scoundrels,  I'll  teach 
you  to  begin  your  cursed  howling  in  this  building 
again.  I  want  you  to  understand  that  you  mustn't 
drive  people  crazy  out  in  the  streets  with  your  vil 
lainous  Yankee  songs."  Then,  turning  to  the  guards 
—  "Take  your  stations  about  these  damned  rascals, 
and  shoot  the  first  man  that  dares  to  stir  out  of  his 
tracks,  and  relieve  each  other  till  further  orders." 
To  us  again  :  "Now,  damn  you,  you  will  stand  here 
till  twelve  o'clock  to-night ;  and  make  a  bit  of  noise 
or  move  from  your  places,  at  your  peril."  He  then 
ordered  us  into  line,  and  marched  us  to  the  north 
end  of  the  cook-room,  where  we  were  kept  till  the 
appointed  time. 

The  fires  went  out  early  in  the  evening,  and  it 
was  very  cold.  Some  managed  to  get  blankets  from 
their  friends  above,  but  the  guards  soon  put  a  stop 
to  such  transactions.  One  man  from  above  called 
down  to  a  friend,  through  a  knot-hole  in  the  floor, 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  79 

and  asked  him  if  he  wanted  a  blanket.  The  guard 
heard  him,  cocked  his  gun,  and  aimed  at  the  hole ; 
but  a  call  from  below  gave  the  man  warning,  and 
he  was  away.  So  much  for  singing  national  songs. 
But  patriotism  will  find  vent  some  how,  in  spite  of 
Rebel  vengeance. 

The  Jews,  during  their  captivity,  hung  their  harps 
on  the  willows,  and  complained  bitterly  when  they 
were  asked  to  sing  their  native  songs.  Union  pris 
oners  seem  to  be  affected  very  differently. 

JOHN  MORGAN,  THE  REBEL  GUERRILLA,  VISITS  LIBBY. 

JaniMry  25. — John  Morgan,  the  famous  Rebel 
raider,  visited  the  prison  to-day.  His  popularity  is 
very  great  just  at  present.  Maj.  Turner,  and  a 
large  company  of  Confederates,  accompanied  him 
through  the  rooms. 

As  they  approached  the  end  of  the  room  occupied 
by  Gen.  Dow,  they  naturally  expected  him  to  rec 
ognize  them,  or  otherwise  show  some  signs  of  life  ; 
but  the  stern  old  general  did  not  for  a  moment  raise 
his  eyes  from  the  book  he  was  reading,  until  the  last 
Rebel  had  passed,  when  he  gave  one  contemptuous 
glance  at  them,  and  continued  his  reading. 

Morgan  is  a  large,  fine-looking  officer;  wears  a 
full  beard,  and  a  Rebel  uniform  trimmed  with  the 
usual  amount  of  gold  braid. 

THE  GREAT  YANKEE  TUNNEL. 

February  11.  — Some  time  ago  twenty-seven  of 
our  number  commenced  digging  a  tunnel  with  a 


80  THE    CAPTURE,    THE   PRISON   PEN, 

view  to  making  an  escape.  We  were  a  regularly 
organized  company  of  "  sappers."  Col.  Thomas  E. 
Hose,  Seventy-seventh  Pennsylvania  Volunteers, 
conceived  the  plan,  and  the  work  was  carried  on 
under  his  supervision.  Xone  were  admitted  into 
the  secret  but  the  workmen. 

Col.  Rose  was  well  prepared  to  superintend  the 
work,  for  he  had  served  in  the  Mexican  war,  was 
taken  prisoner  by  the  Mexicans,  and  after  a  short 
confinement  escaped,  by  tunnelling  from  the  prison 
a  sufficient  distance  to  be  clear  from  the  guards. 
lie  had  served  his  apprenticeship,  and  was  now 
prepared  to  manage  and  direct. 

THE    PLAN    OF    OPERATION 

is  as  follows  :  There  is  in  the  basement  a  small  un 
occupied  room,  which  has  been  closed  ever  since  our 
arrival  here  ;  and  we  soon  discovered  that  the  prison 
authorities  had  no  use  for  it,  and  never  entered  it. 
In  this  room  a  chimney  starts,  which  runs  up  through 
the  cook-room,  and  so  to  the  top  of  the  building. 
The  first  operation  was  to  make  an  opening  into  this 
chimney  from  the  cook-room,  which  opening  was 
hidden  by  some  slop-barrels.  These  barrels  our 
own  soldiers  were  of  course  obliged  to  empty,  so 
that  there  was  no  danger  of  detection  at  this  point. 
Through  this  opening  a  ladder  was  entered  one 
night,  and  carried  on  down  to  the  ground.  This 
ladder  had  been  brought  into  the  prison  by  the 
Ilebels  for  the  purpose  of  raising  a  flag  on  the 
building.  Inquiry  \vas  made  concerning  it,  a-  few 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  81 

days  after  it  was  taken,  but  as  no  one  knew  anything 
about  it,  it  was  inferred  that  it  was  taken  for  fuel. 

At  the  foot  of  the  ladder  another  opening  was 
made   through   the  chimney  wall  leading  into  the, 
under-ground  basement-room.     By  removing  a  few 
stones  from  the  wall  of  this  room,  we  were  in  a  sit 
uation  to  commence  the  work  of  tunnelling 

o 
CONVENIENCES   FOR   PERFORMING   THE   WORK. 

The  only  implements  in  our  possession  for  per 
forming  the  work,  were  an  old  trowel  and  half  of  a 
canteen.  The  arduous  labor  was  commenced  with 
the  fragment  of  a  canteen,  but  with  this,  the  prog 
ress  was  so  slow,  that  the  most  patient  were  almost 
disheartened.  Fortunately  for  us,  a  mason  came  in 
to  repair  the  prison  walls,  and  going  to  dinner  be 
fore  he  had  finished  his  work  left  his  trowel,  which 
in  his  absence  most  mysteriously  disappeared.  To 
him  it  may  have  been  of  but  little  account,  to  us  it 
was  a  God-send.  With  the  aid  of  this  implement, 
we  were  able  to  make  more  rapid  progress,  were 
greatly  encouraged,  and  worked  night  and  day  with 
ceaseless  energy.  Two  of  our  number  were  kept  in 
the  tunnel  almost  constantly.  One,  by  a  vigorous 
use  of  the  trowel  and  canteen,  would  advance  slowly 
on,  placing  the  dirt  in  an  old  blanket,  which  the 
other  would  convey  out  of  the  tunnel  into  a  corner  of 
the  basement-room  whence  the  tunnel  started.  The 
work  was  entirely  screened  from  the  Rebel  author 
ities,  as  they  never  had  occasion  to  visit  this  apart 
ment,  and  the  aperture  in  the  chimney  was  carefully 


82  THE   CAPTURE,  THE  PRISON  PEN, 

concealed.  We  at  length  succeeded  in  digging 
under  ground,  until  we  had  passed  beyond  the  line 
of  sentinels  stationed  about  the  prison,  and  then 
worked  our  way  to  the  surface,  leaving  a  passage 
just  large  enough  for  one  man  to  crawl  through  at 
a  time: 

The  outer  end  of  the  tunnel  was  in  a  small  un 
frequented  lot,  adjoining  a  small  building  in  which 
boxes  sent  from  the  North  were  stored.  This  was 
a  fortunate  circumstance,  as  the  Rebel  guards  used 
to  skulk  about  this  building  at  night,  for  the  pur 
pose  of  plundering  the  boxes ;  Und  on  the  night  of 
the  escape,  the  sentinels  about  the  prison  saw  every 
man  who  came  out,  but  supposing  they  were  Rebels, 
only  whispered  to  each  other,  "  The  fellows  are  going 
through  the  Yankee  boxes  mighty  fast  to-night." 
These  whisperings  were  distinctly  heard  by  some  of 
our  men. 

The  tunnel  was  made  ready  for  our  exit  on  the 
night  of  February  9th.  It  was  about  sixty-five  feet 
in  length. 

EACH  MAN   DETEEMINED   TO   BE   FIRST   OUT. 

The  company  of  sappers  had  entered  into  an  ar 
rangement  that  they  should  make  their  exit  first, 
and  inform  the  others  just  as  they  were  going  out ; 
but  each  man  had  a  particular  friend  whonrhe  wished 
to  notify,  and  as  we  were  seen  packing  our  clothing, 
it  soon  became  suspected  that  something  unusual 
was  in  the  wind.  Curiosity,  once  on  the  alert,  soon 
discovered  the  secret,  and  then  all  were  jubilant 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  83 

with  the  hope  of  escape,  and  commenced  packing 
up.  But  egress  was  so  slow  that  it  soon  became 
evident  to  the  cool  calculator,  that  at  the  best  but  a 
comparatively  small  proportion  of  our  number  would 
be  fortunate  enough  to  take  their  departure  from 
Libby,  before  daylight  would  forbid  any  further 
efforts  to  breathe  the  free  air  of  heaven. 

In  order  to  get  down  the  chimney,  as  well  as 
along  the"  tunnel,  it  was  necessary  to  strip  naked, 
wrap  our  clothing  into  a  bundle,  and  push  this  on 
before  us.  As  soon  as  it  was  seen  that  only  a  few 
could  possibly  get  out,  many,  and  in  fact,  most,  be 
came  selfish,  and  thought  only  of  furthering  their 
own  wishes  ;  all  rushed  for  the  mouth  of  the  tunnel, 
each  man  seeming  determined  to  be  first  out.  By 
this  movement,  the  organization  formed  by  the 
working  party  was  broken  up,  and  the  workmen 
who  were  to  have  had  the  first  opportunity  for 
escape,  were  not  more  favorably  situated  than  those 
who  never  had  borne  a  hand  in  the  digging.  At  the 
mouth  of  the  tunnel  were  hundreds  most  eagerly 
waiting  their  time.  Through  the  intense  anxiety, 
there  was  a  rush  and  a  crowd,  each  one  being  eager 
to  improve  the  earliest  opportunity.  Muscle  was 
the  "trump-card,"  and  won  all  the  victories.  The 
weak  had  to  step  aside,  or  rather,  they  were  pushed 
aside  without  any  apology.  No  respect  was  shown 
to  rank  or  justice.  A  long-armed  second  lieutenant 
had  no  hesitancy  in  taking  hold  of  a  pair  of  shoul 
ders  that  wore  eagles  and  pushing  them  out  of  the 
way.  There  was  no  standing  aside  for  betters. 


84  THE   CAPTURED    THE  PEISON  PEN, 

The  aged  did  not  receive  that  deference  which  un 
fortunate  gray  hairs  are  accustomed  to  be  shown. 
Mere  physical  force  was  the  test  of  championship. 
Those  poor,  weak  ones,  who  got  help  to  gravitate 
to  the  outskirts  of  such  an  eager,  crowding  mass, 
just  as  surely  as  the  light  kernels  will  find  their  way 
to  the  top  of  a  shaken  measure  of  wheat,  thought, 
as  they  felt  themselves  being  crowded  farther  and 
farther  from  the  opening, — 

"Oh,  'tis  excellent 

To  have  a  giant's  strength,  but  it  is  tyrannous 
To  use  it  like  a  giant ! " 

I  made  several  efforts  to  assert  what  I  supposed  my 
rights,  but,  as  I  had  not  at  that  time  much  muscle 
to  back  my  claims,  they  were  not  recognized,  and 
thus  I  spent  the  whole  night  without  avail  in  this 
bootless  struggle  for  freedom.  One  prisoner,  a 
Lieut.  Randolph,  of  the  Regular  Arrny,  had  much 
difficulty  in  getting  through. 

Jn  digging  the  tunnel,  we  had  encountered  a 
green  root  which  could  not  be  broken,  and  we  had 
no  means  to  cut  it  away.  It  projected  from  the 
ground  above,  and,  as  the  lieutenant  was  a  large 
man,  caught  him  as  he  was  passing,  and  held  him 
fast.  There  was  a  man  before  him  and  one  behind, 
who  almost  entirely  excluded  the  air ;  and  before 
he  could  be  helped  from  his  unfortunate  situation, 
he  was  nearly  dead.  He,  however,  got  through, 
and  made  his  way  safely  to  our  lines. 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  85 

Some  of  the  outsiders  in  this  struggle,  who  de 
spaired  of  accomplishing  anything  by  strength,  had 
recourse  to  strategy.  There  had  been  considerable 
noise  during  this  contest  for  freedom,  and  the  guards 
were  expected  to  make  their  appearance  at  any 
moment.  The  outsiders,  taking  advantage  of  this 
apprehension,  went  to  the  farther  end  of  the  long 
building,  and  in  the  darkness  made  a  racket  with 
the  pots  and  kettles,  which  sounded  very  much  like 
the  clashing  of  fire-arms  ;  while  some  of  their  num 
ber  in  the  crowd  sang  out,  "  Guards  !  guards  !  " 

THE    STAMPEDE. 

In  an  instant  every  man  was  gone  from  the  tunnel, 
and  there  was  a  frantic  rush  .for  the  single  stairway, 
by  about  five  hundred  men.  Such  a  struggling  and 
pressing  I  have  never  elsewhere  seen  or  participated 
in.  We  neither  walked  up  nor  ran  up,  but  were 
literally  lifted  from  our  feet,  and  pushed  in  a 
mass  along  up  the  passage,  and  made  our  entrance 
through  the  door  at  the  head  of  the  stairs  as  though 
we  had  been  shot  from  a  cannon,  the  most  of  us  not 
stopping  until  we  struck  the  wall  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  room.  While  this  was  going  on,  the 
scamps  who  had  given  the  alarm  were  quietly  pass 
ing  out  of  the  tunnel. 

The  ruse  was  soon  discovered,  however,  and  in  a 
lew  minutes  there  was  as  great  a  jam  at  the  mouth 
of  the  tunnel  as  ever.  But  so  eager  and  unthinking 
were  we,  that  within  half  an  hour  the  same  dodge 


8C  THE    CAPTURE,   THE   PRISON  PEN, 

was  played  on  us  again,   and  there  was    another 
stampede  up  the  stairs. 

This  continued  till  morning,  when  the  opening 
in  the  chimney  was  covered,  and  we  went  to  our 
quarters.  Here  a  "count"  was  made,  to  discover 
how  many  had  made  their  escape,  when  it  was  found 
that  one  hundred  and  fifteen  were  missing.  Arrange 
ments  were  at  once  made  to  account  for  their  ab 
sence,  and  certain  men  were  designated  to  cross  the 
room  slyly  during  roll-call,  and  be  counted  twice. 

ROLL-CALL. 

For  some  reason  the  authorities  were  late  that 
morning,  and  did  not  make  their  appearance  till 
about  ten  o'clock.  In  calling  the  roll  the  men  at 
tempted  to  cross  the  room,  but  were  discovered, 
and  so  the  count  came  one  hundred  and  fifteen 
short.  The  Rebels  thought  there  must  be  a  mis 
take,  and  so  counted  again,  but  with  the  same  result. 
Still  they  thought  there  must  be  some  mistake,  and 
joked  little  Ross,  the  prison  clerk,  who  was  none 
of  the  brightest,  because  he  could  not  count  a  thou 
sand  Yankees.  This  time  we  were  marched  from 
one  room  to  another,  and  counted  one  by  one,  but  in 
every  way  there  were  one  hundred  and  fifteen  men 
missing.  We  of  course  were  as  much  surprised  as 
the  Rebels.  They  next  sent  for  Maj.  Turner,  and 
he  counted  us  two  or  three  times,  but  with  equally 
unsatisfactory  results.  He  asked  us  where  they  had 
gone  and  how  they  got  out,  but  not  a  man  knew. 

The  escape  was  at  once  made  public,   and  the" 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  87 

papers  were  filled  with  it,  and  the  most  effectual 
means  were  used  to  secure  their  recapture. 

THE    GUARD   IN   CASTLE    THUNDER. 

The  authorities  were  terribly  exasperated,  and  at 
first  arrested  the  guard  and  threw  them  into  Castle 
Thunder,  thinking,  as  a  matter  of  course,  that  they 
had  been  bribed.  This  set  the  guards  to  thinking, 
and  one  of  them  recollected  that  he  had  seen  a 
great  number  of  men  in  the  lot  near  the  Yankee 
boxes.  Latouche,  the  prison  adjutant,  hearing  of 
this  just  before  night,  went  and  found  the  opening. 
Next,  they  questioned  the  prisoners  as  to  where  in 
the  building  it  began,  but  could  get  no  satisfaction ; 
and  not  until  after  a  long  search,  did  they  find  the 
opening  in  the  chimney. 

They  were  really  pleased  with  the  shrewdness  of 
the  scheme,  and  were  loud  in  tbp'.r  praises  of  Yankee 
ingenuity.  Guards  were  placed  over  each  end  of 
the  tunnel,  and  it  was  on  exhibition  for  a  while. 
Crowds  have  been  to  see  the  "  Great  Yankee  Won- 
Jer,"  as  they  call  it. 

RECAPTURE    OF   PRISONERS. 

February  12.  —  Twelve  of  the  escaped  prisoners 
were  brought  in  to-day,  and  thrown  into  the  cells. 
Poor  fellows  !  they  look  crest-fallen  enough. 

February  13.  —  Sixteen  more  of  the  escaped 
prisoners  were  brought  in  and  placed  in  close  con 
finement.  Their  rations  have  been  greatly  reduced, 

and  many  of  them  have  been  thrown  in  irons. 

4* 


88  THE    CAPTURE,    THE   PRISON  PEtf, 

Maj.  Turner  allowed  an  issue  of  boxes  to-day, 
which  have  been  in  his  hands  for  the  past  two 
months.  The  scoundrel  had  given  our  Government 
the  assurance  that  all  private  boxes  sent  en  to  the 
prisoners  would  be  immediately  distributed ;  but  in 
this  case  there  is  not  even  "honor  among  thieves." 
Most  of  the  boxes  were  plundered  under  the  eyes 
of  the  prison  authorities  ;  and  those  that  were  issued 
were  robbed  of  their  most  valuable  contents.  These 
are  doubtless  the  boxes  the  guards  saw  their  com 
rades  robbing  on  the  night  of  the  escape. 

Twenty  more  of  the  escaped  prisoners  have  been 
brought  in  during  the  clay. 


MarcJi  8.  — Some  of  the  guard,  more  communi 
cative  than  discreet,  have  been  led  to  disclose  all 
they  know  concerning  Kilpatrick's  raid.  It  seems, 
from  what  we  can  learn,  that  an  expedition  has  been 
organized  for  the  purpose  of  releasing  the  prisoners 
at  Richmond.  We  have  heard  the  dull  booming  of 
artillery  at  intervals  during  the  day,  which  proves 
that  our  troops  are  already  engaging  the  enemy  in 
the  fortifications.  The  prisoners  are  all  on  tho 
qui  vive,  anxiously  awaiting  the  "result ;  and  how 
anxiously  !  When,  since  the  commencement  of  the 
war,  has  there  been  so  much  at  stake  ?  Richmond 
to  be  gained  or  lost,  and  with  it  the  freedom  of 
thousands  of  brav3  men,  incarcerated  in  filthy  dun 
geon?,  and  dying  of  starvation  ! 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  89 

To  bo  ready  for  an  emergency,  we  have  organized 
ourselves  into  regiments,  appointed  officers,  and  • 
made  all  necessary  preparations  for  co-operating 
with  our  troops  in  case  of  a  release,  as  they  will 
undoubtedly  be  prepared  to  supply  us  with  arms. 
If  we  are  suffered  to  remain  here,  we  hope,  in  a 
measure  at  least,  to  aid  in  our  release. 

t 

HOPES   AND   FEARS. 

The  day  wears  away,  and  still  no  change  in  the 
situation  that  we  can  learn.  Night  comes,  and  the 
welcome  sound  of  artillery  has  ceased,  and  the  pris 
oners  are  earnestly  asking,  "Is  it  a  repulse,  or  has 
darkness  put  an  end  to  a  conflict  destined  to  break 
forth  with  renewed  energy  in  the  morning  ?  "  The 
Rebels  seem  as  much  in  doubt  as  ourselves,  and 
equally  desirous  of  information.  It  is  a  comfort  to 
hear  the  opinions  of  others  under  the  circumstances, 
whether  we  accept  those  opinions  or  not. 

March  12.  — During  the  last  few  days,  since  the 
battle,  we  have  learned  some  of  the  particulars, 
from  Rebel  sources,  concerning  the  fate  of  Gen. 
Kilpatrick's  expedition. 

It  seems  that  at  Frederick's  Hall,  Col.  Dahlgren, 
with  about  five  hundred  men,  was  detached,  with 
orders  to  move  by  the  way  of  Louisa  Court  House, 
while  Kilpatrick,  with  the  main  body,  moved  on 
Ashland,  thus  threatening  Richmond  with  two 
columns,  destroying  all  government  property  on 
their  line  of  march.  But  a  misfortune,  which  a 
military  commander  in  an  enemy's  country  is  sp 


90  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON  PEN, 

liable  to  meet  with,  thwarted  one  of  the  best  con 
ceived  and  most  daring  plans  of  the  war. 

Col.  Dahlgren  had  employed  a  negro,  as  guide, 
who  betrayed  him  by  leading  in  the  direction  of 
Gouchland.  When  Dahlgren  discovered  his  mis 
take,  he  ordered  the  negro  to  be  executed  for  his 
perfidy,  and,  changing  his  course,  commenced 
marching  rapidly  upon  Richmond ;  but  the  Rebels 
were  now  well  informed  of  the  movement,  and  were 
on  the  alert. 

DEATH   OF   COL.    DAHLGREN. 

On  his  return,  Col.  Dahlgrcu  destroyed  the  Dover 
flouring  mills  and  several  private  flouring  establish 
ments.  He  also  materially  injured  the  James  River 
Canal ;  but  in  attempting  to  cross  the  river  he  was 
surprised  by  a  large  force  of  the  enemy  in  ambush, 
who  fired  upon  him,  killing  himself  and  scattering 
his  party  by  the  first  volley. 

Kilpatrick,  deprived  of  the  valuable  services  of 
Dahlgren,  and  having  also  to  contend  against  an 
enemy  who  were  receiving  large  reinforcements 
from  Pickett's  brigade  at  Bottom  Bridge,  acted  the 
wise  part,  and  retired  during  the  night  in  the  direc 
tion  of  Mechanicsville. 

The  advantages  gained  from  the  expedition  seem 
to  consist  wholly  in  the  large  destruction  of  Rebel 
property,  and  also  in  cutting  the  communication 
between  Lee's  army  and  Richmond.  The  enemy 
captured  a  few  prisoners,  and,  of  course,  claimed  a 
decided  victory. 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  91 

REBEL   MODE    OF   TREATING   RAIDERS. 

The  prisoners  captured  from  the  raiding  party  are 
treated  with  the  greatest  inhumanity.  The  Rebels 
evidently  have  not  exhausted  all  their  resources  of 
cruelty  upon  us  ;  for  we  are  well  used  in  comparison. 
Officers,  enlisted  men,  and  negroes,  are  crowded 
together  in  filthy  cells,  and  not  allowed  to  commu 
nicate  with  the  other  prisoners.  Their  rations  are 
much  less  than  ours,  and  even  of  a  poorer  quality ; 
no  indignity  so  great  as  not  to  be  offered  them.  A 
Rebel  sergeant  brings  their  meals  to  them,  and  then 
orders  them  to  sit  down  alternately  with  the  negroes. 
Many  men  have  done  this  by  chance,  or  from  choice 
it  maybe,  and  thought  nothing  of  it  —  but  to  be 
compelled  to  sit  in  such  a  manner  by  Rebel  orders, 
for  the  purpose  of  affording  amusement  to  idle  look 
ers-on  is  something  more  than  an  American's  pride 
can  endure  with  equanimity. 

They  are  not  allowed  to  leave  the  room,  and  in 
stead  of  going  to  the  sink,  are  compelled  to  use  an 
open  tub  which  stands  in  one  corner  of  the  room. 
The  object  seems  to  be  to  impose  a  sense  of  disgrace 
on  the  men,  and  subject  them  to  the  ridicule  of  their 
own  comrades,  if  possible,  as  well  as  that  of  the 
Rebels. 

The  reasons  which  they  assign  for  this  inhuman 
and  uncivilized  system  of  torture,  is  the  destruction 
of  public  and  private  property  during  the  raid,  for 
which  they  hold  them  responsible. 

The  cell  in  which  the  raiders  are  coi  fined  is  di- 


92  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON  PEN, 

reetly  underneath  my  room  ;  of  course,  every  device 
is  used  to  open  communication  with  them,  that  we 
may  get  a  true  history  of  their  treatment,  and  also  for 
the  purpose  of  alleviating  their  sufferings  as  much 
as  lies  within  our  pcwer.  We  have  succeeded,  by 
the  aid  of  a  saw-backed  knife,  in  cutting  a  small 
hole  through  the  floor,  which  we  have  kept  carefully 
concealed. 

The  authorities  are  in  the  habit  of  inspecting  the 
floors  continually  to  see  that  nothing  is  wrong.  The 
hole  opens  through  the  ceiling  of  the  cell,  just  over 
a  large  beam  only  a  few  inches  below  it.  This  pre 
vents  their  seeing  it  from  below,  while  the  raiders, 
by  climbing  upon  a  table,  can  place  a  tin  plate  on  the 
beam,  and  receive  whatever  is  put  down  to  them. 
To  prevent  their  seeing  it  from  our  room  above, 
we  insert  the  piece  that  was  sawed  out,  and  plaster 
it  over  well  with  the  vile  black  soap  issued  to  us. 

Through  this  hole  we  have  furnished  them  with 
a  share  of  such  rations  as  have  been  issued  to  us. 
Some  of  our  number  were  discovered  by  the  Rebels 
while  communicating  with  them,  and,  as  a  punish 
ment  for  this  offence,  have  been  transferred  to  their 
cell.  Henceforth,  this  was  made '  the  penalty  for 
any  such  attempt ;  but  its  only  effect  was  to  warn  us 
to  be  more  cautious  in  the  future. 

THE    PRISON   UNDERMINED. 

March  15.  —  Immediately  after  Kilpatrick's  raid, 
the  prison  authorities  set  to  work  to  undermine  the 
building.  Thn  small  basement-room  from  which  the 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  93 

tunnel  commenced,  has  been  filled  with  a  sufficient 
quantity  of  powder,  and  now  the  Yanks,  are  prepared 
for  h — 11,  as  they  graphically  express  it.  This  is  said 
to  be  in  the  event  of  our  attempting  to  escape,  or  of 
a  release  being  attempted  by  raiding  parties.  The 
whole  transaction  is  in  perfect  harmony  with  their 
ideas  of  civilized  warfare. 

Such  a  plan  of  Avholesale  murder  evinces  a  state 
of  moral  depravity  on  the  part  of  the  authorities  at 
Richmond,  to  which  we  challenge  the  historian  to 
find  a  parallel  in  the  records  of  any  civilized  nation. 
Can  such  a  people,  that  will  perform  acts  of  this 
•description  without  apparent  shame  or  conscious 
self-abasement,  be  entitled  to  be  called  by  the  mild 
term  "  enemies  "  ?  None  but  the  blackest  of  traitors 
could  resort  to  such  an  expedient. 

Trains  have  been  laid  from  this  room  to  various 
guard-posts,  where  they  can  be  fired  at  a  moment's 
notice.  Maj.  Turner  himself  has  given  us  to  under 
stand  that  if  any  more  attempts  are  made  at  our 
rescue,  the  prison  will  be  blown  to  atoms. 

March  20. —  Sixty  of  our  number  were  paroled 
to-day,  and  taken  to  City  Point  for  the  Confederate 
officers  brought  down  by  the  Federal  authorities ; 
they  are  to  be  exchanged.  Maj.  Mclrviu,  of  the  old 
regiment,  is  one  of  the  fortunates.  The  prisoners 
are  in  excellent  spirits,  and  are  universally  afflicted 
with  "exchange  on  the  brain."  Three  boat  loads 
have  now  been  permitted  to  return  to'God's  country, 
including  many  of  our  enlisted  men  from  Belle  Isle. 


94  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON  PEN, 

BELLE    BOYD. 

A  few  days  ago,  the  famous  Belle  Boyd,  a  Rebel 
spy,  who  was  at  one  time  captured  by  Kilpatrick 
and  sent  on  to  Washington,  came  through  the  prison. 
We  received  no  warning  of  her  approach,  and  were 
employed,  as  usual,  looking  for  live  stitches  in  the 
seams  of  our  clothing.  Some  were  sitting  on  the 
floor,  with  their  shirts  off;  others  were  giving  their 
last  pair  of  pantaloons  a  careful  scrutiny,  while 
others  had  dispensed  with  both  these  articles,  and 
were  performing  ablutions  at  the  bath  trough.  She 
bore  herself  with  becoming  dignity,  however,  and 
seemed  to  look  on  all,  "  in  the  calm  light  of  mild 
philosophy." 

March  22.  — The  officers  captured  during  Kilpat- 
rick's  raid  are  still  confined  in  the  cell  with  negroes 
and  the  officers  of  colored  troops,  who  have  always 
been  treated  as  felons. 

I  came  very  near  being  detected  this  morning  by 
Sergt.  Briggs,  while  attempting  to  administer  to 
their  wants  through  the  previously-described  hole  in 
the  floor.  I  had  stationed  pickets  about  the  build 
ing  to  warn  me  of  the  approach  of  the  authorities, 
but  the  sergeant  happened  to  be  in  the  small  room 
occupied  by  Gen.  Scammon,  at  the  time  I  opened 
the  hole,  and  hence  was  not  seen  by  the  men  on  the 
alert  for  him.  Upon  leaving  the  general's  room, 
the  sergeant  passed  within  six  feet  of  the  place 
where  I  was  so  busily  engaged  in  putting  down 
corn-bread  and  burnt-meal  coffee,  that  I  did  not 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  95 

notice  his  approach.  Several  prisoners,  however, 
who  were  watching,  stepped  between  us,  and  thus 
fortunate!/  saved  mo  from  sharing  the  fate  of  those 
whose  sufferings  I  was  endeavoring  to  alleviate. 

PRISONERS   FROM   PLYMOUTH. 

April  25.  —  Oar  number  has  been  increased  to 
day  by  the  arrival  of  several  "fresh-fish,"  captured 
recently  at  Plymouth,  N.  C.  Having  been  in  com 
fortable  quarters  at  that  point  ever  since  their  enlist 
ment,  they  feel  the  privations  and  hardships  of  prison- 
life  much  more  than  prisoners  in  general.  Long, 
fatiguing  marches,  and  the  hardships  of  many  cam 
paigns  have  somewhat  prepared  the  most  of  us  for 
still  greater  endurance  ;  and  then  we  have  discovered 
many  expedients  for  getting  along,  which  only  a 
long  experience  can  make  available. 

It  w'as  quite  amusing  to  see  how  the  "  Pilgrims  " 
regarded  their  "position."  Having  prepared  their 
first  rations  in  Libby,  which,  however  poor  they 
might  be,  their  long  march  had  made  acceptable  to 
them,  they  remarked  that  there  was  no  suitable 
place  for  taking  their  meals,  and  were  not  a  little 
embarrassed  at  the  merriment  the  remark  produced 
among  the  old  prisoners,  who  had  long  since  ceased 
to  consider  where  they  should  eat,  but  what?  The 
want  of  bunks,  and  chairs  too,  gave  them  equal 
solicitude.  They  are  trim-looking  fellows,  and 
when  we  look  at  our  own  tattered  garments  and 
haggard  faces,  it  seems  a  pity  that  they  must  be 
reduced  to  a  similar  3ondifion. 


96  THE   CAPTURE,    THE   PRISON  PEN, 

Through  the  new  arrivals,  we  are  enabled  to  learn 
some"  news  from  our  armies,  and  the  particulars  of 
the  fight  in  which  they  were  captured.  It  appears 
that  they  were  overpowered  at  Plymouth,  and, 
after  repelling  several  desperate  charges,  Were  com 
pelled  to  surrender.  Brig.  Gen.  W.  II.  ^Vessels 
was  in  command  of  the  post,  and  was  among  the 
captured.  The  general  is  an  old  man  and  looks 
worn.  The  Rebels  give  him  credit  for  desperate 
courage  at  Plymouth.  He  made  no  surrender,  but 
was  actually  captured  behind  the  intrench  incuts,  by 
an  overwhelming  force. 

April  26.  —  Weather  cold  and  disagreeable.  No 
wood  allowed  in  the  upper  rooms.  Suffering  in 
tense.  Our  men  on  Belle  Island  are  being  removed 
to  Georgia.  Exchange  stock  low. 

THE    GUERRILLA,    MOSEBT, 

Passed  through  the  prison  to-day.  He  is  about  twen 
ty-eight  or  thirty  years  of  age  ;  has  a  slight  figure, 
straight  hair,  and  a  smooth  face,  except  the  upper- 
lip,  which  is  hidden  by  a  faded  German  moustache. 
He  recognized  many  officers  whom  he  himself  had 
captured,  and  pleasantly  remarked  that  he  was  glad 
to  see  them  here.  Very  little  attention  was  shown 
him,  as  we  regard  it  a  disgrace  for  any  man  to  ac 
company  a  Rebel  through  the  building. 

April  28.  — Exchange  stock  up.  It  is  said  there  is 
another  boat  in  with  prisoners  from  the  North.  The 
terms  for  a  general  exchange  are  said  to  be  agreed 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  97 

upon,  and  Aikcn's  Landing  is  to  be  the  place  of 
transfer. 

April  30. — The  prisoners  are  very  despondent 
to-day.  The  rumors  of  the  28th  inst.  appear  to 
have  had  no  foundation.  The  feelings  occasioned 
by  our  disappointment  can  be  better  imagined  than 
described,  but  imagination,  even  in  her  most  ex 
travagant  flights,  can  but  poorly  picture  the  horrors 
of  this  prison  life.  Our  constant  experience  is 
"hope  deferred,"  and  yet,  "the  miserable  have  no 
other  medicine,  but  only  hope  !  "  and  we  must  con 
tinue  to  hope  on. 

May  6 .  —  There  was  great  excitement  in  tho 
city  during  the  day  concerning  war  matters.  Gen. 
Lee  was  reported  to  have  been  defeated,  and  to  be 
falling  back  to  the  fortifications.  Several  regiments 
passed  through  town  in  the  afternoon,  on  their  way 
to  the  front.  It  was  evident  that  there  must  be 
some  truth  in  the  rumor,  for  at  eleven  r.  M.  we 
were  notified  by  Maj.  Turner  to  be  ready  to  leave 
the  prison  at  a  moment's  notice. 

At  twelve  o'clock  the  adjutant's  clerk,  Mr.  Ross, 
began  calling  the  roll.  As  his  name  was  called  each 
prisoner  passed  from  the  cook-room,  through  the 
door  opening  on  Gary  Street,  and  filed  down  between 
two  lines  of  guards,  closing  up  to  those  who  had 
preceded  him,  and  receiving,  as  he  took  his  place 
in  the  ranks,  a  "  corn  dodger,"  which  we  were  told 
must  satisfy  hunger  until  another  issue  could  be 
made.  I  could  not  help  rejoicing  at  my  exit  from 
the  walls  of  Libby,  for  I  felt  that  our  condition 


98  THE    CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON  PEN, 

could  be  made  no  worse,  while  a  change  of  base 
might  present  opportunities  for  escape. 

FAREWELL   TO   LIBBY. 

A  few  of  the  prisoners  were  inclined  to  be  de 
spondent,  and  seemed  to  indorse  the  old  maxim  of 
"better  bear  those  ills  we  have,  than  fly  to  others 
that  we  know  not  of."  We  did  not  leave  Gary 
Street  until  the  dawn  of  day,  when  we  moved  down 
to  the  first  bridge  and  crossed  over  the  "James" 
to  Manchester,  where  we  were  packed  into  cattle- 
cars,  and  started  for  the  South.  Our  place  of  des 
tination  was  not  known,  but  was  supposed  to  bo 
some  point  in  Georgia. 


AND   THE  ESCAPE.  99 


CHAPTER  VI. 

IMPRISONMENT  AT   DANVILLE,    VIRGIN /A. 

ON  the  morning  of  May  7th,  just  at  daylight, 
•we  left  Richmond,  and  reached  Danville  about  ten 
o'clock  the  same  evening.  It  was  a  long,  tedious 
ride  of  a  hundred  and  forty  miles.  Being  badly 
crowded  in  rough  box-cars,  it  was  anything  but  a 
pleasant  trip.  Several  of  our  number  effected  an 
escape  from  the  train  during  the  first  part  of  the 
night. 

My  old  friend  Barse  jumped  from  his  car  while 
in  motion.  Twenty  shots  or  more  were  fired  at 
him  by  the  guard,  and  he  dropped  on  the  ground. 
The  Rebels  boasted  that  "the  damned  Yank,  would 
never  escape  again,"  and  were  so  well  satisfied  of  it 
that  they  did  not  think  it  worth  while  to  stop  the 
train.  We  afterwards  learned  that  he  got  off  with 
a  slight  flesh  wound,  but  was  subsequently  recap 
tured  and  brought  back  to  prison. 

Many  others  attempted  to  release  themselves  in 
various  ways.  Some  succeeded,  through  the  aid  of 
saw-backed  knives,  in  hacking  holes  in  the  sides  of 
the  cars,  and  then,  at  the  earliest  opportunity,  made 
their  way  out. 


100  THE    CAPTURE,    THE   PRISON  PEN, 

The  party  with  whom  I  was  confined  \\  ere  en 
gaged  in  this  manner,  but,  unfortunately,  our  work 
was  discovered  before  its  completion  ;  and  thus  the 
scheme  was  exposed.  We  were  not,  however,  easily 
discouraged ;  for  what  idea  will  not  awaken  itself 
in  the  mind  of  man  when  destined  to  a  loathsome- 
imprisonment  ? 

NEW   PLANS   FOR   ESCAPE. 

]5"o  sooner  was  our  work  discovered,  and  guards 
stationed  near  it,  than  we  began  to  concoct  a  new 
plan  for  escape ;  which  was  to  disarm  the  stupid 
guard  by  removing  the  caps  from  their  guns,  and 
then  to  dash  past  them  at  the  first  convenient 
opportunity. 

We  succeeded  in  rendering  one  gun  useless  ;  but 
the  guard  carrying  the  other,  being  on  the  alert,  it 
was  impossible  to  uncap  it,  and,  consequently,  we 
very  reluctantly  abandoned  our  cherished  project, 
and  turned  to  think,  or  perchance  to  dream,  of 
"prison  pens,"  "bare  feet,"  "corn  dodgers,"  and 
"dead  lines." 

After  reaching  Danville  we  spent  a  sleepless  night 
in  our  crowded  position  in  the  cars,  and  were  re 
moved  at  an  early  hour  in  the  morning  to  the  mili 
tary  prisons  at  this  post.  These  prisons  consist  of 
three  large  brick  buildings,  on  the  east  side  of  tho 
town. 

Previous  to  our  transfer  to  this  place,  they  were 
occupied  by  enlisted  men.  Near  the  centre  of  the 
second  floor  of  one  of  the  prisons,  my  messmates, 


AND    THE    ESCAPE.  101 

Licuts.  Nyce  and  Eichardson  of  the  old  regiment, 
and  myself,  huve  chosen  a  small  spot,  which  we  call 
our  portion  of  the  room. 

MILITARY   IMPORTANCE    OF   DANVILLE. 

Danville  is  situated  at  the  terminus  of  the  Rich 
mond  and  Danville  Railroad,  one  hundred  and  forty 
miles  south-west  of  the  former  place,  and  four  miles 
from  the  southern  boundary  of  the  State.  It  can 
be  easily  defended,  and  is,  without  doubt,  one  'ef 
the  strongest  natural  positions  south  of  Richmond. 
It  has  a  population  of  about  two  thousand  inhabi 
tants. 

Our  daily  allowance  of  rations  at  this  prison  is  as 
follows :  One  loaf  of  corn  bread,  weighing  about 
three-fourths  of  a  pound  ;  one-half  pound  of  bacon, 
and  one  pint  of  soup.  No  other  varieties. 

This  is  about  fifty  per  cent,  better  than  we  had  at 
Richmond.  Such  as  it  is,  there  is  enough  to  sus 
tain  life.  TVre  are  fired  upon  by  the  guard  for  the 
offence  of  looking  out  of  the  windows,  as  was  the 
case  at  Libby. 

In  this,  and  many  other  respects,  I  cannot  see  that 
we  have  gained  by  the  change ;  for  we  meet  the 
same  stamp  of  men  here  that  we  left  at  Richmond. 
In  some  respects  our  condition  is  worse.  Especially 
is  there  great  suffering  for  want  of  room.  It  is  im 
possible  to  find  a  place  to  sleep  without  disturbing 
some  one.  In  order  to  economize  space,  we  have 
yielded  to  the  necessity  of 


102  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON  PEN", 


SLEEPING   SPOOX-FASHION. 

At  the  best,  large  numbers  are  compelled  to  sit 
up  till  morning,  and  then  take  the  places  others 
have  vacated. 

In  spite  of  the  annoyance  there  is  something 
comical  in  our  situation.  We  pack  ourselves  down 
to  rest  as  a  housewife  would  pack  her  silver  spoons 
to  lay  them  away ;  and  when  any  one  gets  tired  of 
lying  on  any  given  side,  he  sings  out,  "Spoon  to 
the  right ! "  or,  "  spoon  to  the  left ! "  as  the  case 
may  be,  and  all  turn  in  the  direction  indicated  by 
the  speaker. 

If  a  man  has  occasion  to  leave  his  place  during  the 
night,  he  is  sure  to  find  it  filled  when  he  returns ; 
and  he  will  not  even  know  who  is  the  trespasser, 
unless  he  has  taken  the  precaution  to  count  and 
number  his  place  from  the  wall.  Thus  he  is  never 
sure  of  cursing  the  right  one. 

There  is  no  military  force  at  this  point  except  the 
prison  guard,  which  is  commanded  by  Maj.  Moffat, 
who  also  acts  as  commandant  of  the  post. 

NEWS   FROM   THE   ARMY. 

We  learn  by  rumor  that  there  has  been  a  pretty 
severe  engagement  between  Grant  and  Lee  since  the 
7th  inst.  It  is  generally  inferred,  by  the  uneasiness 
of  the  Rebels,  as  well  as  their  disposition  to  curtail 
our  privileges,  that  "Uncle  Bob,"  as  they  familiarly 
call  Gen.  Lee,  has  come  off  second  best. 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  1<)3 

May  11.  — "We  have  already  commenced  a  large 
tunnel,  and,  should  we  remain  here  long  enough, 
will  give  the  Rebels  another  subject  for  reflection. 
The  study  of  plans  of  escape  is  our  constant  em 
ployment  under  whatever  circumstances  we  are 
placed.  The  mind  naturally  reverts  to  the  army, 
to  home,  and  friends ;  and  we  are  willing  to  risk 
anything  to  secure  a  release  from  confinement. 

Could  we  but  hear  from  our  army,  or  were  we 
permitted  to  receive  letters,  it  would  be  some  satis 
faction  ;  but  even  this  small  favor  is  denied  us. 

The  papers  are  vigilantly  excluded,  but  rumor 
brings  us  the  news  that  Gen.  Averill  is  making  a 
raid  in  this  direction.  This,  with  the  fact  that  a 
day's  rations  have  been  issued,  and  the  manifest  un 
easiness  of  the  Rebels,  lead  us  to  believe  that  we 
will  soon  be  removed  to  some  point  in  Georgia,  out 
of  the  possible  reach  of  Yankee  horsemen. 

"We  are  all  in  high  glee  over  the  possibilities  of  a 
release.  Groups  are  collecting,  and  talking  over 
the  chances  of  success.  Were  so  many  children 
assembled  together  in  anticipation  of  a  day  of  jubi 
lee,  the  scene  could  not  be  more  wild. 

The  "Star-Spangled  Banner"  has  just  been 
struck  up,  and  all  join  heart  and  soul  in  singing  it. 

GREENSBORO',  N.  C.,  May  12. 

At  four  o'clock  in  the  morning  we  bade  farewell 

to  Danville,  after  a  stay  of  four  chiys,  and  were 

again  set  in  motion  toward  the  South.     AVe  think 

travelling  very  beneficial  to  health ;    and    one   not 

•  5 


104  THE    CAPTURE,    THE   PRISON  PEN, 

acquainted  with  the  Rebel  mode  of  treating  pris 
oners  might  be  inclined  to  think  that  they  are  dis 
posed  to  favor  us  in  this  respect ;  for  we  do  not 
seem  destined  to  remain  in  one  place  any  great 
length  of  time. 

It  has  been  a  damp,  chilly  day.  Our  circum 
stances  (and  we,  also,  doubtless)  have  been  very 
disagreeable.  The  cars  leaked  badly,  and  the  rain 
was  driven  in  fiercely  by  the  wind. 

MEETING   CONSCRIPTS   FOR   LEE'S   ARMY. 

The  Rebels  are  apparently  very  much  alarmed  at 
the  state  of  affairs  in  Northern  Virginia.  We  met 
conscripts  almost  every  hour  on  their  way  to  join 
Lee's  forces. 

A  more  motley,  ill-looking  lot  of  men  could  not 
have  come  together,  if  they  had  done  so  by  design. 
They  were  going  in  squads  of  ten,  twenty,  fifty,  or 
more,  as  the  case  might  be,  "across  lots  to  join 
Uncle  Bob's  army  in  Virginny."  Some  had  hats,  and 
some  caps;  some  coats,  and  some  none.  All  were 
armed  more  or  less,  always  according  to  their  own 
fancy,  or  "what  they  happened  to  have  in  the 
house."  Shot-guns,  rifles,  old  rusty  swords,  long 
knives,  horse-pistols,  carbines,  and  broken  jack- 
knives,  bid  fair  to  damage  their  owners  much  more 
than  any  one  else.  It  is  very  questionable  whether 
uiany  of  them  ever  swelled  Lee's  ranks  to  ar  y  great 
extent, 

After  a  ride  of  twenty-four  miles  by  rail,  we  were 
compelled  to  leave  the  cars  and  march  on  foot  to 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  105 

within  eight  miles  of  Greensboro'.  The  roads  were 
muddy,  and  our  tramp  by  no  means  pleasant ;  for 
our  long  imprisonment  and  scant  rations  have  ren 
dered  us  completely  unfit  for  a  walk  of  half  a  mile 
even.  We  suffered  much  in  attempting  to  keep 
pace  with  the  guard,  who  urged  us  forward  at  the 
point  of  the  lionet,  cursing  and  threatening  most 
fearfully  all  those  that  fell  by  the  way  from  weakness 
and  utter  exhaustion.  No  chances  of  escape  were 
offered,  as  the  guards  were  very  "vigilant. 

A^   ATTEMPT   TO   ESCAPE. 

When  we  were  again  put  into  the  cars,  I  attempted 
to  hide  behind  a  log  and  feign  sleep,  but  was  dis 
covered,  and  after  sundry  kicks  allowed  myself  to 
be  awakened.  By  this  time  the  cars  were  filled,  and 
as  the  prisoners  claimed  that  their  cars  could  hold'no- 
more,  there  seemed  to  be  no  room  for  me,  which 
of  course  I  did  not  much  regret.  The  officer  in 
command,  however,  undertook  to  find  me  a  place, 
and  as  the  doors  were  all  closed,  without  further 
trouble  ordered  me  to  make  my  entrance  through  a 
small  window  near  the  top  of  one  of  the  cars.  This 
I  was  assisted  to  do  by  a  bank  which  happened  to 
be  alongside  of  the  train  just  at  that  point.  There 
were  objections  from  within,  however,  the  men 
crying,  "There  is  no  room  in  here,"  but  Rebel  bay 
onets  were  urgent  outside,  and  in  I  plunged  without 
any  definite  prospect  of  touching  bottom. 

As  the  fates  would  have  it,  I  landed  on  the  head 
of  Lieut.  Col.  G.  C.  Joslyn,  Fifteenth  Massachu- 


106  THE    CAPTURE,    THE   PRISON  PEW, 

setts.  There  was  much  howling,  in  which,  I  think 
the  lieutenant-colonel  did  not  participate.  In  the 
melee  my  few  effects  were  scattered  about  the  car, 
and  I  very  soon  found  my  level  among  the  others. 

"  There's  a  divinity  that  shapes  our  ends, 
Rough-hew  them  as  we  will." 

CHARLOTTE,  N.  C.,  May  13. 

Leaving  Greensboro',  early  in  the  morning,  we 
reached  Charlotte  "late  in  the  afternoon,  and  were 
inarched  under  heavy  guard  to  the  Commons  ;  where 
we  were  told  that  an  issue  of  rations  would  be  made 
before  leaving  the  place. 

On  learning  that  there  were  Yankee  prisoners 
in  town,  the  citizens  came  out  in  large  numbers. 
Many  approached  the  guard  line,  and  endeavored 
to  converse  with  us,  but  were  forced  back  at  the 
point  of  the  bayonet.  Finding  that  we  could  not 
converse  with  them,  we  concluded  to  entertain 
them  with  some  music ;  accordingly  we  struck  up 
the  "Star-Spangled  Banner,"  "Eally  Bound  the 
Flag,  Boys,"  etc. 

After  each  singing,  we  could  see  white  handker 
chiefs  waving  in  the  breeze,  showing  that  we  were 
among  loyal  people  who  hailed  again  their  country's 
stirring  airs.  These  demonstrations  so  exasperated 
the  guard  that  they  sent  a  detail  to  drive  the  "damned 
tar-heels,"  as  they  style  the  North  Carolinians,  off  the 
field.  All  through  North  Carolina  we  saw  unmis 
takable  evidence  of  Union  feeling,  and  they  mani 
fested  their  loyalty  in  a  bold  and  defiant  manner. 


AND   THE  ESCAPE.  107 

As  night  approached,  the  guard  was  doubled, 
which  satisfied  us  that  we  should  remain  during  the 
night.  Many  plans  of  escape  were  discussed,  all 
feeling  satisfied  tha,t  if  we  could  once  pass  the 
guard,  great  assistance  would  be  rendered  us  by  the 
loyalists  of  North  Carolina. 

COLUMBIA,  S.  C.,  May  14. 

We  left  Charlotte,  under  very  exciting  circum 
stances,  at  one  o'clock  this  morning. 

The  night  being  dark,  and  the  soil  light,  many 
of  the  prisoners  dug  holes  in  the  ground  and  there 
buried  themselves,  hoping  thus  to  escape  the  vigi 
lance  of  the  guard,  when  we  should  be  marched 
from  the  field  to  the  cars.  Unfortunately,  however, 
the  scheme  was  exposed  by  one  of  the  guards,  "who 
accidentally  stumbled  into  a  hole,  in  the  bottom  of 
which  he  beheld  a  live  Yankee. 

Struck  with  astonishment,  he  shouted,  "  Oh,  my 
God  !  captain,  here  be  one  Yank,  bury  heself  in  de 
ground  !  "  A  great  excitement  was*  the  natural  con 
sequence.  A  general  search  ensued.  Torchlights 
were  used,  and  the  trees  and  ground  thoroughly 
inspected.  This  investigation  brought  to  light 
several  holes  of  a  similar  character,  each  having 
deposited  therein  a  Federal  prisoner. 

The  guards  were  very  angry,  and  went  about 
shouting,  "  Hun  them  through  ! "  "  Pick  up  tho 
damned  hounds  ! "  etc. ;  but  their  captain,  a  good- 
natured  sort  of  a  man,  said,  "  No,  no  ;  the  damned 
Yankees  have  a  right  to  escape,  if  they  can.  I'd 


108  THE   CAPTURED  THE  PRISON  PEN, 

do  the  same  myself.  I'll  risk  their  getting  away 
from  me."  But  in  spite  of  his  confidence,  quite  a 
number  were  left  behind  in  these  pits.  As  many 
as  thirty  men  had  thus  buried  themselves  in  the 
ground. 

Our  liberties  were  immediately  curtailed,  and 
we  were  hurriedly  driven  into  the  cars  and  set  in 
motion  towards  the  South.  Eeached  Columbia, 
South  Carolina,  late  in  the  afternoon,  and  were 
given  to  understand  that  after  a  brief  halt  we 
should  move  on  to  Macon,  Georgia. 

AUGUSTA,  Ga.,  May  15. 

After  leaving  Columbia,  we  pushed  on  without 
any  incident  of  importance,  being  closely  guarded, 
and  reached  Augusta  at  six  o'clock  p.  M.  We  were 
immediately  turned  over  to  the  city  militia,  a  motley 
crowd  of  cowardly  ruffians,  who  seemed  to  think 
that  to  be  soldierly  they  must  abuse  defenceless 
prisoners  on  tfye  simplest  pretext.  It  has  been 
generally  remarked,  that  the  most  cruel  soldiers  are 
those  who  have  done  their  fighting  at  home. 

The  suffering  caused  by  close  confinement  was 
intense.  '  We  were  not  permitted  to  leave  the  filthy 
cars  after  our  unfortunate  adventure  at  Charlotte. 

A  son  of  Gov.  Bradford,  of  Maryland,  was  pro 
vost  marshal  of  the  city.  This  graceless  youth 
afterwards  led  a  band  of  guerrillas  to  his  father's 

i  lence,  and  plundered  his  own  horn  a. 


AND    THE    ESCAPE.  109 

BETWEEN  AUGUSTA  AND  MACON,  GA.,  MAY  16. 

About  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning  we  started  for 
Macon,  halted  on  the  way,  and  several  of  our  num 
ber  made  their  escape.  Lieut.  Kellogg  of  the  Fifth 
Michigan  Cavalry  climbed  up  into  a  water-tank, 
and  was  unfortunately  left  behind  when  the  train 
moved  on.  Several  days  afterwards,  however,  he 
was  recaptured,  and  made  one  of  our  number 
again.  During  the  whole  night  we  moved  slowly 
on  towards  Macon. 


110  THE   CAPTURED    THE  PRISON 


CHAPTER  VII. 
I 

AT  MACON,    GEORGIA.  —  "  CAMP  OGLETIIOEPE.3 


May  19,  1864.  —  AVe  reached  Macon  at  eight 
o'clock  on  the  evening  of  the  17th.  Two  long  files 
of  sneaking,  stay-at-home  Georgia  militia  extended 
from  the  cars  to  the  prison  pen,  and  between  them 
we  were  marched  into  "  Camp  Oglcthorpc." 

On  our  arrival  at  the  front  gate  whom  should  we 
find  but  the  veritable  Maj.  Thomas  P.  Turner,  fiend 
incarnate,  from  Libby  Prison.  This  human  monster 
stood  at  the  gate  to  count  us  as  we  passed  in.  To 
his  great  chagrin  forty-seven  of  our  original  num 
ber  were  missing,  all  of  whom  had  escaped  from 
the  cars.  He  drew  us  up  in  line,  and  informed  us 
of  the  prison  regulations,  especially  that  any  man 
would  be  shot  who  approached  the  "  dead  line.'* 
He  soon  afterward  returned  to  Richmond.  His 
object  in  coming  to  Macon  was,  I  presume,  to  give 
the  authorities  some  instruction  in  regard  to  the 
treatment  of  Federal  prisoners,  and  they  showed 
themselves  apt  scholars. 

The  Prison  Pen  takes  its  name  from  Gov.  Ogle- 
thorpe,  of  Georgia.  It  is  about  eighty  rods  east 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  Ill 

of  the  city,  and  covers  an  area  of  a  little  more  than 
two  acres.  The  enclosure  is  surrounded  by  a  stock 
ade  fence  about  fifteen  feet  high,  near  the  top  of 
which  projects  a  platform  on  which  the  guards  are 
stationed.  Within  the  stockade,  at  a  distance  of 
fifteen  feet  from  it,  is  the  dead-line,  extending  en 
tirely  aroum}  the  camp.  This  consists  of  an  ordinary 
picket  fence  three  and  a  half  feet  high.  In  many 
prison  pens  of  the  South  it  is  only  a  line  of  stakes, 
with  sometimes  a  single  board  attached.  Camp 
Oglethorpe  was  made  expressly  for  our  reception, 
and  had  never  before  been  occupied. 

Macon  is  situated  on  the  Ocmulgee  River  in  the 
central  part  of  the  State,  about  four  hundred  and 
fifty  miles  from  Danville,  our  last  place  of  impris 
onment.  It  is  finely  located,  has  a  population  of 
about  ten  thousand,  and  is  at  present  one  of  the 
most  stirring  and  important  towns  in  the  South.  It 
is  one  hundred  and  sixty  miles  from  Augusta,  and 
one  hundred  miles  from  Atlanta.  Two  daily  news 
papers,  the  "Macou  Confederate"  and  "Telegraph," 
are  published  here. 

Since  leaving  Richmond  my  health  has  been  very 
poor;  caused,  doubtless,  by  the  various  changes  to 
which  we  have  been  subjected.  Besides,  the  cars 
in  which  we  were  transported  were  extremely  filthy, 
and  as  they  were  kept  constantly  closed,  the  air 
was  very  impure.  The  heat,  also,  is  getting  to  be 
intense  during  the  day,  and  its  effects  are  telling  on 
the  strength  of  the  men. 

May  22.  —  Our  daily  allowance  of  rations  at  this 
5* 


112  THE   CAPTURED    THE  PRISON  PEN, 

ncn  is  as  follows  :  Corn-meal,  one  pint ;  bacon,  one- 
fourth  of  a  pound  ;  rice,  one  ounce  ;  peas  or  beans, 
one  ounce  ;  salt,  one  tablespoonful  for  four  clays. 

.  We  have  no  cooking  utensils  except  a  feAv  iron 
skillets.  The  beans  furnished  here  are  wholly  unfit 
for  use.  The  rations  issued  are  about  one-half  of 
what  we  really  need. 

.  The  mortality  here,  as  also  at  Anderson ville,  is 
fearful.  Men  are  hopelessly  pining  away,  while 
their  friends  are  powerless  to  help  them.  It  is  sad 
to  see  a  friend  and  comrade  dying  in  such  a  shame 
ful  manner,  while  we  ourselves  have  only  to  expect 
a  similar  fate. 

NEW  ARRIVALS. 

On  the  morning  of  the  20th  one  hundred  and 
seven  officers  from  Grant's  army  arrived,  to  take 
up  their  abode  in  the  Prison  Pen.  Among  them  are 
Gens.  Shayler  and  Seymour.  As  soon  as  the  "fresh- 
fish  "*  arrived  the  cry  ran  through  the  camp,  and  a 
general  rush  was  made  for  the  gate.  An  eager 
group  surrounded  each  man,  and  our  appearance 
was  quite  as  strange  to  them  as  theirs  to  us.  Gen 
erally  their  first  question  was,  "  Are  you  Federals 
or  Confederates  ?  "  there  being  little  in  our  appear 
ance  to  make  the  question  unnecessary. 

The  process  of  initiation  was  very  disgusting  to 

*  The  first  six  months  of  prison  life,  an  officer  is  called  a 
"fresh-fish;"  the  next  four  months,  a  "sucker;"  the  next 
two  months,  a  **  dry  cod ; "  the  balance  of  his  time  a  "  dried 
herring-, "  and  after  exchange,  a  "pickled  sardine." 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  113 

most  of  them.  While  some  would  be  seriously 
asking  questions  concerning  their  capture  and  lis 
tening  to  their  pitiful  story,  others  would  call  out, 
"  Take  your  fingers  out  of  his  haversack ; "  "  Keep 
that  louse  off  him  ;  "  "  Give  him  air,"  etc.  All  this 
affected  them  strangely  at  first,  but  soon  came  to  be 
an  old  story.  They  brought  very  welcome  news 
concerning  the  movements  of  our  armies. 

There  are  at  present  about  twelve  hundred  of  our 
officers  confined  here,  four  hundred  of  whom  were 
captured  since  the  commencement  of  the  campaign 
in  front  of  Richmond. 

FIRING   UPON  A  PRISONER. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  22d,  Lieut.  H.  P. 
Barker,  First  Rhode  Island  Cavalry,  was  fired  upon 
by  one  of  the  sentinels  —  a  boy  not  more  than  four 
teen  years  of  age.  The  youth  missed  his  aim,  how 
ever,  and  his  ball  buried  itself  in  a  tree  a  little 
beyond.  The  lieutenant  is  quite  an  old  man. 
Looking  across  the  intermediate  space,  to  the  boy, 
he  coolly  said.  — 

"  Young  man,  what  are  you  shooting  at?  " 
"I  am  shooting  at  you,  you  damned  old  cuss," 
was  the  reply. 

"  And  what  are  you  shooting  at  me  for?" 
"Because  you  had  your  hands  on  the  dead-line," 
naid  the  boy. 

At  this  moment  two  other  guards  came  up,  and 
one  of  them  taking  the  boy  by  the  collar  and  shak 
ing  him  thoroughly,  demanded,  — 


114  THE    CAPTURE,    THE   PRISON  PEW, 

w  What  are  you  shooting  at  that  prisoner  for,  you 
damned  little  whelp  ?  " 

The  boy  replied,  "  Because  he  had  his  hands  on 
the  dead  line." 

The  guard  shook  him  again,  and  told  him  he  was 
a  liar,  as  the  man  was  not  within  twenty  feet  of  the 
dead-line,  and  then  called  the  corporal  of  the  guard, 
who  marched  the  precocious  monster  away.  If  any 
punishment  was  administered  to  him,  we  never 
heard  of  it. 

I  was  lying  within  ten  feet  of  Lieut.  Barker  when 
the  shot  was  fired,  and  am  certain  that  he  was  at 
least  thirty  feet  distant  from  the  fatal  line. 

TUNNELLING   THE   NARROW   PATH   TO   FREEDOM. 

May  29.  — This  morning  we  received  notice  from 
Capt.  W.  Kemp  Tabb,  present  commandant  of  the 
prison,  that  in  the  future,  all  prisoners  not  in  ranks 
at  roll-call,  will  be  shot  dcrwu  by  the  sentinels  on 
the  guard  line. 

We  have  also  received  orders  to  take  our  boards 
and  blankets  from  the  ground.  The  probable 
reason  of  this  vigilance  is,  that  they  have  discovered 
several  tunnels  which  we  had  commenced,  and  were 
carrying  forward  as  fast  as  possible. 

Our  plan  of  operations  was  as  follows  :  We  have 
been  allowed  to  build  ourselves  small  sheds,  to  af 
ford  a  shelter  from  the  burning  sun,  of  some  refuse 
boards  that  were  lying  about ;  and  under  these  sheds 
we  have  made  bunks  to  sleep  on.  A  bunk  was 
selected  in  a  shed  as  near  the  dead-line  as  possible, 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  117 

and  under  this  bunk  we  sunk  a  hole  or  "  well,"  as  it 
was  termed,  straight  down  to  the  depth  of  five  or 
six  feet.  From  the  bottom  of  this  well  the  tunnel 
extended  out  under  the  stockade.  But  one  man 
could  dig  at  a  time,  and  as  the  work  was  very  fa- 
tiijuins:,  we  relieved  each  other  often.  The  dirt  was 

O  O ' 

brought  to  the  mouth  of  the  tunnel  in  meal  sacks 
which  had  been  stolen  from  the  ration  wagon. 

Two  or  three  were  detailed  to  carry  off  the  dirt 
to  the  sinks.  We  usually  commenced  operations 
after  ten  o'clock  in  the  evening,  and  continued  until 
nearly  daylight.  Upon  leaving  the  tunnel,  a  board 
was  iitted  in  about  a  foot  from  the  surface,  and  then 
dirt  was  swept  over  so  as  to  obliterate  all  traces  of 
the  digging. 

From  sixteen  to  twenty  days  were  thus  required 
to  finish  the  narrow  road  to  liberty.  Fires  were 
built  by  the  guard  at  short  intervals,  between  the 
dead-line  and  stockade,  completely  encircling  the 
camp,  so  that  the  tunnels  had  to  be  carried  a  great 
distance,  in  order  to  have  the  place  of  egress  as  safe 
as  possible. 

If  the  work  could  have  been  completed,  we  should 
have  chosen  some  dark  and  stormy  night  to  remove 
the  slight  cap  of  earth,  at  the  outer  extremity  of  tho 
subterranean  channel,  and  then  stealing  out  cau 
tiously,  so  as  not  to  attract  the  attention  of  the 
vigilant  sentinel,  we  would  have  made  for  the  woods 
and  swamps. 

Those  who  had  done  the  digging  were  to  have 
had  the  first  opportunity  to  pass  out,  and  then  as 


118  THE    CAPTURE,    THE   PRISON  PEN, 

many  more  were  to  go,  as  could  get  through  the 
tunnel  before  daybreak. 

Our  plan  was  a  good  one,  and  we  felt  confident 
that  it  would  prove  a  perfect  success  until  the  eve 
of  its  completion,  when  cither  some  cowardly  traitor 
in  our  midst,  or  a  detective  sent  in  by  the  authori 
ties,  exposed  the  scheme,  and  thus  blighted  our 
brilliant  prospects. 

UNPLEASANT   CONSEQUENCES. 

The  result  of  this  attempt  to  reach  "God's  coun 
try,"  is  a  reduction  of  rations,  and  a  resort  to  every 
restriction  which  could  possibly  be  conceived  by  a 
Rebel. 

While  in  Libby,  I  imagined  that  the  deeds  of 
villain}-  were  well-nigh  exhausted,  —  I  had  thought 
that  the  catalogue  of  crime  was  nearly  filled  by  the 
Confederate  miscreants,  but  alas !  you  have  only 
to  see  the  heartlessness  and  the  intrigues  of  the 
authorities  here, — you  have  only  to  witness  the  suf 
fering,  the  frenzy,  and  the  fever,  and  you  will  then 
say,  that  these  are  the  deeds  of  pitiless  monsters. 

A  short  time  since,  Capt.  Irich,  Forty-fifth  New 
York,  sent  a  watch  and  chain  by  Capt.  Tabb,  to  be 
Bold  for  not  less  than  four  hundred  dollars.  Some 
time  afterward  Tabb  was  seen  wearing  the  chain, 
and  upon  being  questioned,  said  he  had  sold  them 
for  two  hundred  dollars,  and  the  chain  had  been 
given  to  him.  Irich  thereupon  demanded  either  tho 
property  or  the  four  hundred  dollars,  threatening  to 
expose  the  whole  affair  if  they  were  not  given  up. 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  119 

For  this  offence  he  was  bucked  several  hours  —  but 
the  articles  were  restored. 

Irich  was  a  German,  and  splendidly  posted  in 
military  tactics,  besides  being  a  line  swordsman. 
When  we  were  being  marched  into  Camp  Ogle- 
thorpe,  Tabb  had  given  an  unmilitary  order,  and 
Irich  corrected  him,  when  the  infuriate  Rebel  or 
dered  him  to  keep  silent,  threatening  with  drawn 
sabre  to  split  his  head  open.  Irich,  with  a  little 
stick  in  his  hand,  dared  him  to  strike  a  blow,  and 
the  braggart  was  forced  to  put  up  his  sword,  amid 
the  jeers  of  the  citizens  standing  about.  This  may 
have  been  the  reason  for  the  severity  of  the  punish 
ment  in  the  affair  of  the  watch. 

KELIGIOUS   MEETINGS. 

Prayer  meetings,  or  religious  meetings  of  some 
kind,  are  held  almost  every  evening ;  and  if  the 
prayers  of  prisoners  can  avail,  our  President  will 
be  wise  as  Solomon,  and  our  armies  universally 
successful.  Capt.  Tabb  had  heard  that  it  was  cus 
tomary  to  pray  for  the  President  and  the  generals 
.of  our  army,  and  one  evening  during  service  came 
in  to  put  a  stop  to  it.  While  he  was  issuing  his 
orders  in  one  corner  of  the  room  to  Chaplain  White, 
Fourth  Rhode  Island  Battery,  Chaplain  Dixon,  Six 
teenth  Connecticut,  stepped  forward  and  offered 
a  prayer.  The  fearless  and  devout  man  prayed 
for  the  President  and  his  advisers,  Gens.  Grant 
mid  Sherman  ;  that  treason  might  be  crushed,  and 
the  Stars  and  Stripes  once  more  wave  over  our 


120  TJ1E    CAPTURE,   THE   PRISON  PEN, 

common  country.  Tabb  heard  him  through,  and 
then  walked  out  remarking,  "Damned  smart  prayer, 
but  it  won't  answer  the  purpose."  Xo  further  at 
tempts  were  made  to  curtail  the  freedom  of  prayer. 
Large  numbers  have  been  converted,  of  those  who 
had  all  their  lives  been  regardless  of  such  matters. 
June  12. — Some  days  ago  Capt.  Tabb  was  re 
lieved  of  command  by  Capt.  Geo.  C.  Gibbs.  On 
the  10th  fifty  officers  were  sent  to  Charleston  to  bo 
put  under  fire  of  our  siege-guns.  These  included  all 
the  general  officers,  together  with  the*  highest  in 
rank  of  the  field  officers.  Among  them  were  Gens. 
Scammon,  TTessells,  Seymour,  Shaylcr,  and  Heck- 
man,  who  were  shortly  after  exchanged. 

A    PRISONER   SHOT. 

At  eight  o'clock  on  the  evening  of  the  llth  Lieut. 
Otto  Grierson,  Forty-fifth  New  York  Volunteers, 
was  shot  through  the  body  and  mortally  wounded 
by  a  sentinel  on  the  stockade. 

It  is  asserted  by  the  sentinel,  that  tne  lieutenant 
was  in  the  act  of  making  his  escape,  by  crawling  up 
the  creek -to  the  "dead-line,"  preparatory  to  passing 
under  the  stockade ;  but  those  who  were  near  by, 
and  saw  the  affair  as  it  occurred,  said  that  he  was 
not  in  the  creek  at  all,  and  that  he  was  at  least  six 
teen  feet  from  the  "fatal  line." 

The  lieutenant  was  at  the  spring  where  we  are 
accustomed  to  bathe,  and  while  there  for  that  pur 
pose,  was  murdered  by  the  wretch,  whose  name  wo 
have  not  yet  learned.  We  shall  mark  him  if  we 


THE   ESCAPE.  121 

arc  ever  permitted  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  his  cow 
ardly  phiz  in  daylight.  I  had  just  left  the  spring 
Tpith  water,  previous  to  the  discharge  of  the  sentry's 
musket. 

The  wounded  lieutenant  was  carried  to  the  hos 
pital,  but  never  spoke  after  he  was  shot.  Some  of 
our  number  called  upon  Capt.  Gibbs,  the  prison 
commandant,  informed  him  of  the  facts,  and  re 
quested  an  investigation,  but  were  turned  away 
with  no  satisfactory  answer,  or  rather  with  the  un 
derstanding,  that  we  need  not  expect  anything  in 
that  direction.  But  the  villain  who  perpetrated  the 
deed  was  promoted  to  a  sergeant,  and  given  a^ 
furlough,  for  his  fidelity  and  promptness  in  the 
execution  of  orders.  These  facts  we  learned  from 
members  of  his  own  regiment. 

Thus  goes  another  of  our  number,  murdered-  in 
cold  blood  at  the  hands  of  a  traitor. 

PRACTICAL   INFAMY    OF   REBELS. 

June  22. —  Capt.  Gibbs  proposes  to  allow  us  the 
privilege,  as  he  is  pleased  to  term  it,  of  choosing 
delegates  to  solicit  of  the  authorities  at  Richmond 
an  opportunity  to  visit  our  enlisted  men  at  Ander- 
sonville,  for  the  purpose  of  reporting  their  condition 
to  our  authorities  a,t  Washington.* 

The  fact  is,  if  the  truth  were  known,  the  Rebels 

*  The  representations  they  propose  to  make  are,  "that  the 
awful  suffering  of  our  men  in  southern  prisons  is  caused  by 
ft  change  of  climate  and  the  hopelessness  of  exchange." 


122  177^    CAPTURE ',   THE   PRISON 

seem  desirous  of  placing  a  weapon  in  the  hands  of 
the  "peace  party"  at  the  North,  whereby  the  cause 
of  the  Unionists  may  be  defeated. 

Confederate  officers  and  citizens  are  allowed  to 
risit  us  frequently.  They  represent  to  us,  and 
would  gladly  have  us  believe,  that  they  are  doing  all 
in  their  power  to  make  it  comfortable  and  agreeable 
for  us. 

They  repeatedly  affirm  that  the  non-exchange  of 
prisoners  is  due  entirely  to  the  fault  of  our  Govern 
ment.  In  short,  they  are  very  anxious  to  have  U3 
send  a  deputation  to  Washington,  for  the  purpose 
of  placing  before  President  Lincoln  and  the  admin 
istration  the  horrid  condition  of  our  men  in  southern 
prisons,  and  to  ask  an  immediate  general  exchange 
of  prisoners,  claiming,  as  a  matter  of  course,  that 
^hey  are  doing  all  they  possibly  can  for  us. 

In  accordance  with  their  entreaties,  we  have  held 
a  meeting,  but  the  result  is  quite  unsatisfactory  to 
the  Rebels  ;  for  we  have  most  firmly  resolved  never 
to  become  agents  in  advancing  the  interests  of  the 
southern  cause,  even  though  our  sufferings  be  in 
creased  a  hundred-fold. 

I  am  perfectly  satisfied  that  there  has  been  no 
time  since  the  beginning  of  the  war  when  the  enemy 
could  not  have  given  their  prisoners  an  abundance 
of  corn  meal  and  bacon,  were  they  so  disposed  ;  and 
from  observation  I  know  that  they  could  have  fur 
nished  lumber,  to  provide  us  with  more  comfortable 
quaiters.  With  such  facts,  glaring  and  palpable  as 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  123 

they  are,  we  will  be  a  party  to  no  transaction  which 
can  possibly  aid  in  furthering  their  base  designs. 

DISCOVERY   OF   TUNNELS. 

The  camp  was  searched  to-day  by  order  of  the 
prison  commandant,  and  the  three  tunnels  which 
have  been  in  process  of  digging  for  the  past  fifteen 
days  were  discovered.  Had  it  not  been  for  this 
misfortune,  many  of  us  would  have  bid  farewell  to 
morrow  night  to  this  field  of  suffering. 

Doubtless,  some  detective  from  the  outside  ex 
posed  the  scheme.  Never  was  I  more  disappointed 
than  in  this  misfortune ;  for  our  plan  was  a  good 
one.  The  tunnels  were  large,  and  it  was  estimated 
that  nearly,  if  not  quite  all  of  the  prisoners  could 
pass  through  them  in  a  single  night. 

We  had  looked  forward  with  the  deepest  anxiety 
to  what  we  felt  assured  would  be  the  happy  termi 
nation  of  our  labors  ;  but  alas  !  when  it  seemed  that 
we  were  about  to  reap  the  promised  reward,  like 
the  mirage,  it  vanished  in  the  distance. 

As  a  result  of  the  discovery  the  following  order 
has  appeared  on  the  Prison  Bulletin  :  — 

C.  S.  MILITARY  PRISON,      \ 
Special  Orders,  \  MACON,  GA.,  June  22,  1864.  < . 

No.  6.          J 

Sentinels  are  instructed  to  shoot  down  all  prisoners,  in  the 
future,  who  are  seen  moving1  about  camp  after  taps. 

GEO.  C.  GIBBS,  Captain  Commanding. 

The  guards  appear  delighted  to  receive  orders  of 
such  a  character,  and  seem  to  find  real  consolation 


124  THE    CAPTURED    THE  PRISON 

in  having  the  privilege  of  firing  upon  us  on  the 
most  trivial  pretext.  A  thirst  for  blood  seems  to 
characterize  them.  They  have  all  their  lives  long 
been  taught  that  the  blood  of  niggers  and  Yankees 
was  made  to  be  spilled  when  occasion  requires,  and 
they  never  hesitate  to  put  the  teaching  into  practice. 
Hereafter  all  who  leave  their  bunks  at  night  to  go 
to  the  sinks  or  elsewhere,  do  so  at  the  peril  of  their 
lives. 

Scurvy  is  now  becoming  fearfully  prevalent  in 
our  midst.  Chronic  diarrhoea  is  also  sweeping  off 
its  victims  most  fearfully.  It  is  almost  impossi 
ble  to  get  treatment  for  either.  Large  numbers, 
who  are  afflicted  with  the  former  disease,  may 
be  seen  every  day  burying  themselves  up  in  the 
ground,  as  the  earth  has  a  tendency  to  check  its 
frightful  ravages. 

Much  to  my  disgust,  I  find  that  this  loathsome 
disease  has  again  got  hold  of  me.  I  have  been 
hoping  that  it  would  pass  me  by  in  its  visitations, 
but  it  is  unquestionably  present  in  my  limbs.  I 
attended  sick-call  this  morning,  and  was  prescribed 
for  by  the  surgeon  the  first  time  since  we  left  Rich 
mond.  I  shall  not  make  any  effort  to  get  into  the 
hospital,  for  I  am  confident  that  it  is  much  better  to 
remain  in  camp,  among  my  friends,  where  they  can 
administer  to  my  wants,  than  to  go  where  the  pris 
oner  can  expect  but  little  sympathy,  or  anything 
else  that  might  have  a  tendency  to  rid  him  of  dis 
ease  or  recruit  his  wasted  strength. 

It  is  not  strange  that  the  terra  "  hospital "  has 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  125 

become  synonymous  with  death ;  lor  but  few  who 
enter  it  ever  come  out  alive.  When  a  man  is  seen 
leaving  camp  in  a  blanket,  it  is  thought  that  he  is 
past  help  ;  and  if  he  is  fortunate  enough  to  return 
to  his  fellows,  it  is  considered  an  exceptional  case. 

Deaths  have  been  very  frequent  since  the  warm 
weather  came  on.  Many  have  gone  to  their  long 
homes  since  our  arrival  here.  AYe  call  it  being 
"  exchanged  "  ;  and  it  certainly  is  a  happy  transfor 
mation  from  so  much  misery  and  wretchedness  on 
earth  to  a  life  of  eternal  joy  in  the  bright  realms 
above.  We  cannot  sigli  for  such,  but  only  rejoice 
that  their  cares  and  misfortunes  are  ended.  It  al 
most  makes  one  long  to  go,  when  we  think  that 
their  sufferings  and  trials  are  over,  and  it  is  not 
wonderful  that  they  should  murmur  in  their  last 
moments,  — 

"I  would  not  live  alway  —  I  joy  in  the  trust, 
That  when  this  frail  form  shall  return  to  the  dust, 
My  spirit  shall  rise  on  the  wings  of  thy  love, 
'  To  seek  its  true  home  in  the  mansions  above." 

FOURTH   OF   JULY  IN    PRISON . 

We  had  several  roll-calls  in  the  morning.  The 
prison  authorites  seemed  very  fearful  that  we  would 
attempt  a  general  escape.  Immediately  after  the 
roll-calls  a  large  meeting  was  organized.  Capt. 
Todd,  Eighth  New  Jeisey  Infantry,  displayed  a 
small  silk  flag  four  by  six  inches,  which  had  been 
presented  to  him  by  Miss  Paradise  of  Jersey  City, 
and  which  had  thus  far  escaped  the  vigilance  of 


126  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON  PE&, 

southern  relic  seekers.  The  miniature  'f  Star-Span 
gled  Banner"  was  hailed  with  rounds  of  cheers, 
which  showed  that  they  came  from  loyal  hearts. 

We  then  adjourned  to  the  large  building  occupied 
by  the  general  and  field  officers,  where  Chaplain 
Dixon,  Sixteenth  Connecticut  Volunteers,  opened 
the  exercises  with  prayer.  Capt.  Ives,  Lieut.  Og- 
den,  First  "Wisconsin  Cavalry ;  Capt.  Lee,  Fifth 
Michigan  Cavalry ;  Lieut.  Kellogg,  Chaplain  Whit 
ney,  One  Hundred  and  Fourth  Ohio ;  Chaplain 
Dixon,  and  Lieut.  Col.  Thorp,  First  New  York 
Dragoons,  then  followed  with  speeches  and  toasts, 
interspersed  with  national  songs,  while  far  above 
our  heads,  attached  to  a  long  pole  was  the  emblem 
of  freedom,  the  "Red,  White,  and  Blue.'-' 

Although  in  prison,  and  held  here  by  those  who 
ought  always  to  have  regarded  the  people  of  the 
North  with  brotherly  kindness,  who  never  should 
have  raised  the  recreant  hand  of  treason  against  the 
government  established  by  our  common  fathers  and 
sealed  with  their  blood,  there  was  still  a  universal 
feeling  that  the  day  which  sealed  our  liberties 
should  be  observed  with  suitable  ceremonies.  All 
felt  that,  live  or  die,  survive  or  perish,  we  would 
give  a  hearty  support  to  those  Stars  and  Stripes  — 
the  banner  of  the  free  —  that  had  so  long  waved 
over  our  heads,  and  for  which  we  are  now  suffering 
every  indignity  and  privation. 

We  had  every  reason  to  believe  that  the  Rebels 
would  not  object  to  the  celebration  of  the  day  that 
proclaimed  us  victorious  over  the  British  Lion,  and 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  127 

brought  freedom  to  them,  as  well  as  to  us  ;  but  in 
this  we  were  mistaken.  Whilst  we  were  listening 
to  a  spirited  oration  from  Col.  Thorp,  the  com 
mandant  of  the  prison,  Capt.  Gibbs,  deemed  it 
necessary,  in  the  exercise  of  his  little  authority,  to 
march  a  regiment  of  troops  into  the  enclosure  and 
order  the  assemblage  to  disperse.  Having  no  pos- 
BiJ)le  alternative,  the  order  was,  of  course,  complied 
with. 

The  meeting  was  conducted  in  a  quiet  and  orderlj 
manner ;  the  animus  of  the  speaking  was  generally 
national,  and  nothing  but  Rebel  tyranny  could  ob 
ject  to  it. 

Col.  Thorp  having  been  for  some  time  past  in 
command  of  the -interior  of  the  prison,  by  virtue  of 
his  position  as  senior  officer,  was  relieved  from  duty 
by  the  following  order  :  — 

"  C.  S.  MILITARY  PRISON,     ) 
"  Special  Orders,  >  MACON,  GA.,  July  4,  18G4.  s 

No.  9.          $ 

"  I.  Lieut.  Col.  Thorp  is  relieved  from  duty  as  senior  officer 
of  prisoners,  for  a  violation  of  prison  rules,  and  Lieut.  Col. 
McCrary  will  again  assume  that  position. 

"II.  The  same  order  and  quiet  will  be  observed  on  this 
day  as  on  any  other. 

*'  III.  A  disregard  of  this  order  may  subject  offenders  to 
unpleasant  consequences. 

"  GEO.  C.  GIBBS,  Captain  Commanding." 

July  6.  — Heat  intense.  No  rain  since  the  early 
part  of  last  month.  I  am  suffering  with  chronic 
diarrhoea  at  present,  but  shall  not  endeavor  to  get 
into  the  hospital  while  I  have  a  friend  left  in  camp. 


128  THE    CAPTURE,   THE    PRISON  PEN, 

July  7.  —  I  am  no  better  to  day.  Have  not  tasted 
of  my  rations  since  the  5th. 

July  8.  —  Crawled  down  to  the  creek  in  the  fore 
noon,  near  which  I  lay  until  evening. 

A  fellow-prisoner  recommended  me  to  chew  white- 
oak  bark  for  my  complaint,  and  has  persuaded  me 
to  try  the  experiment.  He  has  very  kindly  placed 
three  pieces  of  the  said  bark  at  my  disposal,  which 
he  stripped  from  an  old  tree  that  stands  within  tne 
enclosure. 

July  9.  — I  am  very  weak  to-day:  cannot  walk 
without  assistance.  Am  inclined  to  think  that 
chewing  bark  will  not  effect  a  cure  in  my  case. 

Brass  buttons  being  in  great  demand  with  the 
Rebels,  I  pulled  the  remaining  few  from  my  old 
coat  yesterday,  and  sold  them  to  one  of  the  guards 
for  ten  dollars,  and  with  that  sum  purchased  five 
loaves  of  wheat  bread,  which  will  last  me  six  or 
seven  clays,  if  used  sparingly. 

I  have  not  touched  my  corn-meal  for  a  long  time, 
my  stomach  being  entirely  too  weak  to  endure  such 
coarse  diet,  and  the  consequence  is,  I  am  reduced 
to  a  mere  skeleton.  I  think  the  flour  bread  will 
have  the  effect  of  checking  the  diarrhoea,  or  at  least 
of  recruiting  my  strength.  I  should  have  disposed 
of  the  buttons  long  ago,  had  I  not  thought  that  a 
day  of  greater  need  might  come. 

The  Rebels  have  a  perfect  passion  for  Federal 
buttons,  and  often  pay  extravagant  prices  for  them. 
Buttons  are  very  scarce  in  the  Confederacy,  and 
many  are  reduced  to  the  necessity  of  wearing 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  129 

wooden  ones.  Occasionally  a  fine  joke  is  played 
upon  the  guards.  Xot  long  since  a  modest,  rather 
green  little  Confederate  came  into  the  prison  asking, 
"Has  any  of  you  'uns  got  any  brass  buttons  to  sell? 
I've  got  four  on  the  back  of  my  jacket,  and  I'll  give 
eight  dollars  for  four  more  to  put  on  the  front. 

One  of  the  prisoners  conceived  an  idea  at  once, 
and  replied,  "  Well,  corporal,  I'll  try  and  find  you 
some."  Then  giving  the  wink  to  some  of  his  com 
panions,  who  immediately  engaged  the  Reb.  in  con 
versation,  he  slipped  round  behind  him,  and  cut  the 
four  buttons  from  the  back  of  his  jacket,  and  soon 
returned,  saying,  — 

"Here,  corporal,  how  do  you -like  the  looks  of 
these?" 

The  corporal  was  suited,  of  course,  and  after 
considerable  bantering  paid  the  sum  of  nine  dollars 
in  Confederate  scrip  for  them  and  went  his  way 
rejoicing. 

July  16.  — My  health  is  improving.  Friends 
have  been  very  kind  during  my  illness,  and  are  still 
untiring  in  their  efforts  to  keep  me  in  the  land  of 
the  living.  It  is  affirmed  by  the  authorities,  that 
there  will  be  a  general  exchange  of  prisoners  on  the 
24th  of  the  present  month.  The  "  fresh-fish  "  are 
troubled  with  an  affliction  known  to  the  old  prison 
ers  as  "exchange  on  the  brain." 

July  27.  — Six  hundred  prisoners  were  counted 
out  of  the  enclosure  this  evening ;  their  destination 
is  supposed  to  be  Charleston,  where  they  will  doubt 
less  be  placed  under  fire  of  our  guns  on  Morrw 
6 


130  THE    CAPTURE,   THE   PRISON 

Island,  as  were  the  field  officers  sent  thither  during 
the  early  part  of  last  month.  This  is  a  most  singu 
lar  method  of  defending  a  besieged  city  against  its 
enemies,  and  illustrates,  to  some  extent,  the  char 
acter  of  a  people  that  would  like  to  be  "  let  alone," 
while  attempting  to  establish  a  government  in  ac 
cordance  with  their  own  chivalrous  notions  of  justice, 
equality,  and  State  rights. 

July  28.  — The  second  six  hundred  were  counted 
out  of  the  pen  late  in  the  afternoon.  As  his  name 
was  called,  each  prisoner  stepped  between  the  dead 
line  and  stockade,  where  we  expect  to  remain  until 
morning,  when  it  is  generally  understood  that  we 
will  be  shipped  to  the  coast. 

All  the  old  prisoners  are  in  line,  and  we  shall 
leave  Camp  Oglethorpe  in  charge  of  a  hundred 
prisoners  from  Sherman's  army,  who  were  brought 
in  yesterday. 


AND   THE  ESCAPE.  131 


CHAPTER    VIII. 


SAVANNAH,  GEORGIA,  —  "CAMP  DAVIDSON." 


WE  left  Macon  at  four  o'clock  A.  M.  of  July  29th, 
guarded  by  a  battalion  of  the  Fifth  Georgia  Re 
serves,  and  reached  Savannah  at  six  o'clock  the 
same  evening,  the  distance  being  about  one  hundred 
and  fifty  miles.  It  soon  became  apparent  that  the 
Rebel  authorities  were  moving  us  from  necessity. 
Their  hurried  and  excited  manner  indicated  that  all 
was  not  well.  Artillery  was  being  rapidly  hurled 
into  position,  the  troops  were  on  the  alert,  and 
every  preparation  made  to  defend  the  place ;  but 
as  for  ourselves,  we  could  only  hope  that  through 
their  misfortune  we  might  find  an  opportunity  for 
escape  :  and  the  reader  may  imagine  our  disap 
pointment  when  we  learned  afterwards,  from  one 
of  the  guards,  that  our  cavalry,  under  General 
Stoneman,  cut  the  road  at  Griffin  Station  only  thirty 
minutes  after  we  had  passed.  To  think  that  free 
dom  had  come  almost  within  our  grasp,  and  yet 
eluded  us,  tended  only  to  add  bitterness  to  our  hard 
lot.  General  Stoneman  attacked  Macon,  but  was 
repulsed,  and  himself  with  a  detachment  of  his  com 
mand  were  captured.  One  hundred  prisoners,  or 


132  THE    CAPTURE,    THE   PRISON   PEN", 

more,  who  had  not  been  removed,  were   hurried 
down  into  a  swamp,  and  guarded  during  the  fight. 

SAVANNAH 

Is  situated  at  the  mouth  of  the  Savannah  River,  on 
the  eastern  coast  of  Georgia.  It  is  unsurpassed  by'- 
any  other  city  in  the  State  in  its  business  facilities, 
and  also  in  its  neatness  and  regularity.  In  a  mili 
tary  point  of  view,  it  stands  next  to  Charleston  in 
importance.  Its  population  at  present  is  about 
twenty  thousand,  incuding  a  large  number  of  refu 
gees.  The  inhabitants  are  generally  suffering  from 
the  most  abject  poverty.  At  present  there  is  a 
perfect  stagnation  in  business ;  but  one  can  easily 
judge  its  past  enterprising  spirit  by  the  unmistak 
able  marks  of  its  former  prosperity. 

Our  camp  is  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  city,  near 
the  Marine  Hospital,  which  was  built  and  formerly 
used  by  our  Government. 

Pulaski's  monument  stands  within  plain  view. 
This  is  a  fine  structure,  about  forty  feet  in  height. 

There  are  about  four  thousand  Rebel  troops  doing 
garrison  duty  in  the  city.  The  nearest  Union  troops 
are  at  Fort  Pulaski,  located  at  the  entrance  of  the 
harbor,  on  the  South  Carolina  shore.  They  are  in 
such  close  proximity  to  the  Rebel  forces  that  if  we 
could  but  escape  the  vigilance  of  our  guard  we 
should  be  almost  certain  of  reaching  the  Federal 
lines  in  safety. 

Camp  Davidson,  our  present  Prison  Pen,  takes 
its  name  from  Captain  II.  II.  Davidson,  who  was  its 


AND   THE  ESCAPE.  133 

first  commandant.  It  is  surrounded  by  a  stockade 
and  dead-line,  and  does  not  differ  materially  from 
the  pen  at  Macon.  Quite  a  number  of  large,  moss- 
covered  live-oak  trees  are  growing  within  the  en 
closure,  which  will  furnish  a  refreshing  shade  from 
the  oppressive  noon-day  sun. 

KENT)  TREATMENT  AT  SAVANNAH. 

So  great  is  the  contrast  between  our  treatment 
here  and  at  other  places,  that  we  cannot  but  feel 
that  fortune  has  certainly  smiled  kindly  upon  us  for 
once. 

This  is  truly  the  oasis  in  the  desert  of  our  prison 
lives.  The  authorities  have  issued  tents  and  cook 
ing  utensils  to  us,  and  seem  inclined  to  alleviate 
suffering  as  far  as  lies  within  their  power.  We  have 
pitched  our  tents  in  regular  order,  so  that  the  camp 
has  quite  a  military  appearance. 

Our  senior  officer,  Colonel  Miller  of  New  York, 
acts  as  'commandant  of  the  interior,  and  all  requests 
and  complaints  are  made  through  him  to  the  prison 
authorities.  He  also  superintends  the  issuing  of 
rations  and  policing  of  the  camp.  It  is  fortunate 
for  us  that  our  guard,  the  First  Georgia  Volunteers, 
have  been  prisoners  of  war,  and  have  learned  what 
we  had  a  right  to  expect,  from  the  magnanimous 
treatment  they  themselves  have  received  from  the 
Federal  government.  And  then  Nature  is  kind  to 
us  ;  we  are  enabled  to  bear  our  sufferings  more  cheer 
fully  than  at  first.  Scenes  which  at  home  would  chill 
the  blood  and  destroy  all  peace  of  mind,  have  be 


134  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON 

come  so  commonplace  with  us  that  we  look  upon 
them  unmoved ;  'tis  a  dangerous  experiment  to 
place  one  constantly  amidst  the  misery  and  suffer 
ings  of  others,  with  no  power  to  alleviate  them. 

At  Richmond,  Danville,  and  Macon,  the  authori 
ties  adopted  a  course,  which  they  believed  would 
forever  render  us  unfit  for  further  military  duty. 
Their  means  were  starvation,  close  confinement  in 
filthy  dungeons,  and  cruel  treatment.  The  slightest 
pretext  was  sufficient  to  increase  its  severity.  Evi 
dently,  at  Savannah  they  have  not  yet  learned  the 
usual  method  of  ridding  the  Confederacy  of  its 
enemies. 

The  troops  here  have  all  seen  service,  and  there 
is  nothing  like  the  adventures  of  the  battle-field  and 
the  mutual  sufferings  there  experienced,  to  teach 
soldiers  humanity  towards  each  other.  Whenever 
attempts  are  made  to  escape,  they  give  us  to  under 
stand  that  they  would  do  the  same  themselves,  under 
like  circumstances,  but  are  still  compelled  to  punish 
such  infractions  of  prison  discipline.  They  politely 
ask  our  pardon  for  inspecting  our  quarters,  and  in 
a  manner  as  gentlemanly  as  possible,  remove  our 
blankets  from  the  floors  of  the  tents  in  their  search 
for  incipient  tunnels,  etc.  All  this  is  very  gratify 
ing,  and  tends  to  remove  the  bitter  hatred  which 
former  brutality  had  engendered. 

These  Georgia  boys  will  be  long  remembered, 
and  may  look  for  the  utmost  kindness  and  consider 
ation  from  us,  if  chance  ever  reverses  our  situa 
tions. 


,  AND    THE   ESCAPE.  135 

Our  rations,  though  barely  sufficient  to  sustain 
what  little  vitality  we  have  left,  arc  of  a  better 
quality  than  we  have  received  before,  since  our 
capture.  The  following  is  our  daily  allowance  : 
Corn-meal,  one  pint;  fresh  beef,  one  pound;  rice, 
one  gill ;  salt,  one  ounce,  for  four  da3's. 

Sutlers  are  allowed  to  sell  to  us  in  camp ;  but 
having  been  robbed  of  our  money  and  nearly  all 
our  valuables  when  captured,  we  are  generally  very 
poor  customers.  We  gradually  find  ourselves  dis 
possessed  of  whatever  remains  to  us  of  value,  such 
as  rings,  pocket-knives,  watches,  etc.,  which  we 
succeeded  in  concealing  from  our  captors. 

These  souvenirs  of  the  past  were  disposed  of  to 
purchase  the  necessaries  of  life,  which  we  could 
have  at  the  following  prices :  Flour,  four  dollars 
per  quart;  onions,  three  for  a  dollar;  potatoes, 
forty-eight  dollars  per  bushel;  bread,  two  dollars 
per  loaf;  butter,  ten  dollars  per  pound  ;  eggs,  six 
dollars  per  dozen  ;  milk,  three  dollars  per  quart. 

At  such  prices  we,  of  course,  soon  wasted  away 
what  we  chanced  to  have  ;  and  this  done,  these  land 
sharks  ceased  their  visits,  and  we  had  to  again  con 
tent  ourselves  with  what  the  Rebel  government  saw 
fit  to  furnish. 

BRICK   OVENS. 

The  authorities  have  been  kind  enough  to  make 
an  issue  of  brick,  with  which  to  build  ovens.  We 
raise  them  about  two  feet  from  the  ground.  The 
brick  are  arranged  in  an  oval  form,  and  strongly 


136  THE   CAPTURE,   THE  PRISON  PEN, 

cemented  together  with  mortar  made  of  clay,  which 
is  very  adhesive,  and  serves  as  a  good  substitute  for 
lime  and  mortar. 

We  use  these  ovens  principally  for  baking  onr 
corn-bread,  which  is  prepared  by  stirring  the  meal 
and  cold  water  together.  When  baked,  this  bread 
is  as  heavy  and  almost  as  hard  as  the  iron  skillet 
used  in  baking  it.  Still  it  is  far  preferable  to  that 
produced  by  the  usual  method  of  cooking. 

It  is  rumored  that  the  first  six  hundred  pris 
oners  sent  from  Macon,  attempted  -  to  disarm  the 
guard,  and  take  the  train  between  this  place  and 
Charleston.  The  attempt  seems  to  have  proved  a 
failure,  as  the  guard  had  assistance  from  some  tem 
porary  troops  stationed  along  the  railroad. 

It  may  seem  strange  that  men  will  incur  such 
risks  in  the  hope  of  regaining  their  freedom,  when 
they  know  full  well  the  bitter  consequences  of  an 
unsuccessful  effort. 

Violent  attempts,  when  they  prove  abortive,  al 
ways  render  them  liable  to  be  shot  down  without 
mercy.  Stealth  and  strategy  are  the  prisoners'  only 
weapons,  and  they  are  always  more  safe  and  more 
effective  than  force. 

TUNNELLING. 

August  22. — Tunnelling,  as  a  means  of  escape, 
has  become  quite  an  institution.  A  tunnel  was 
commenced  some  days  ago  from  a  well  which  we 
had  dug  and  abandoned  for  this  purpose.  None  but 
the  working  party  were  in  the  secret ;  and  they 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  137 

themselves  sworn  not  to  divulge  our  plans.  Tools 
were  frequently  brought  in  for  cleaning  the  camp, 
and  we  managed  to  keep  some  of  these  generally  for 
a  day  or  two,  until  a  search  was  instituted  for  them, 
when  they  were  left  exposed  in'  some  other  part  of 
the  camp  for  the  Rebels  to  find. 

OUR   SCHEME   EXPOSED   BY  A   COW. 

This  tunnel  was  about  two  and  a  half  feet  in  di 
ameter  and  four  feet  below  the  surface.  The  soil 
is  sandy,  and  the  digging  was  carried  on  rapidly. 
When  some  distance  beyond  the  stockade,  it  was 
brought  to  the  surface,  and  a  very  small  hole  made 
through  the  sward%  Through  this  a  reconnoissance 
was  made,  and  the  first  thing  discovered  was  a  pair 
of  gray  legs  pacing  along  only  a  few  inches  from 
the  opening. 

The  hole  was  immediately  closed  and  the  tunnel 
pushed  farther  on,  with  the  intention  of  carrying  it 
beyond  the  second  line  of  sentinels,  which,  it  thus 
appeared,  had  been  established. 

The  work  was  progressing  finely  when,  in  the 
afternoon,  a  cow,  passing  over  the  tunnel,  broke 
through,  and  was  unable  to  extricate  herself.  The 
Rebels,  seeing  her  in  difficulty,  came  to  the  rescue, 
and  thus  discovered  our  work. 

The  tunnel  was  filled  up  at  once,  the  camp  care 
fully  inspected,  and  the  most  severe  penalties  threat 
ened  in  case  of  any  further  attempts  to  escape. 

That  poor,  stupid  cow  had  brought  to  light  by 
mere  chance,  what  Rebel  scrutiny  had  failed  to  dis 


138  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON  PEN, 

cover.     There  were  no  blessings  for  the  cow  that 
day  —  at  least,  not  within  the  stockade. 

JOY  WITHOUT,    DEATH  WITHIN  THE    STOCKADE. 

August  26. — This  has  been  a  galaday  for  the 
Rebels  at  this  point.  A  picnic  has  been  given  to 
the  Rebel  troops  stationed  here,  by  the  ladies  of 
Savannah.  It  was  held  a  short  distance  from  our 
camp  —  so  near  that  our  ears  have  been  greeted  by 
lively  music,  joyous  peals  of  laughter,  and  happy 
voices. 

How  many  sacred  memories  of  other  days  did 
this  scene  recall !  Freedom,  certainly,  seemed  a 
precious  gift  to  them.  It  will  be  doubly  so  to  us 
if  we  are  ever  permitted  to  regain  it ;  and  hence, 
in  the  future,  we  may  be  compensated  for  our  pres 
ent  loss.  But  to  many  of  us  the  day  has  been  as 
sad  within  the  stockade  as  seemingly  joyous  with 
out. 

One  of  our  number,  Capt.  McGinnis,  died  this 
morning.  He  had  a  large  number  of  friends  among 
the  prisoners,  and  was  held  in  high  esteem  for  his 
many  noble  qualities ;  but  the  severity  of  prison 
life  had  done  its  work,  and  he  was  gone ;  and  we 
were  desirous  that  one  so  brave  and  noble  as  he  had 
proved  himself  to  be  should  have,  at  least,  a  decent 
burial.  Therefore  we  appointed  a  committee  to 
wait  upon  the  commandant  of  the  camp,  Col.  Wayne, 
to  request  that  we  might  be  permitted  to  give  the 
captain  a  decent  burial ;  but  received  from  him 
the  response,  that  the  captain  "  was  nothing  but  a 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  139 

damned  Yankee,  deserving  to  be  buried  like  a  dog, 
and  so  he  should  be." 

We  expected  little  more,  as  Col.  Wayne  is  a  cruel 
person,  and  would  consider  it  beneath  his  dignity 
to  confer  a  Christian  favor,  or  even  give  a  respectful 
reply.  Although  an  excellent  military  officer,  he 
has  no  just  claim  to  the  title  of  a  "man,"  and  his 
very  appearance  indicates  as  much.  Fortunately 
for  us,  he  is  an  exception  among  the  officers  of  his 
command,  and  it  is  only  justice  to  them  to  state 
that  they  universally  despise  him. 

KINDNESS   OF  LADIES. 

We  were  greatly  surprised  this  evening  upon  re 
ceiving  a  note  from  ladies  in  the  city,  informing 
us  that  they  had  learned  with  pain  of  Col.  Wayne's 
answer  to  our  petition,  and  that  they  themselves 
have  purchased  a  burial  lot  unbeknown  to  the 
colonel,  where  the  captain's  remains  will  be  suitably 
interred  under  their  direction.  Thank  God  for  this 
dear  womanly  act ! 

A  short  time  since,  Lieut.  Pierce  Horn  of  the 
First  Georgia,  came  into  our  quarters,  asking  if  we 
had  any  men  from  Troy,  New  York.  Having  en 
listed  in  that  place  myself,  I  informed  him  of  the 
fact,  and  held  a  very  pleasant  conversation  for  an 
hDur.  He  informed  me  that  he  had,  some  years 
ago,  attended  Union  College,  Schene^tady,  New 
York,  and  also  the  Troy  Polytechnic  Institute.  He 
was  opposed  to  secession  in  the  outset,  but  when 
his  State  chose  to  go,  he  had  no  alternative  but 


140        THE  CAPTURE,  THE  PRISON 

to  go  with  her.  His  father  is  a  large  Georgia 
planter. 

August  30.  —  An  exchange  of  army  chaplains  and 
surgeons  has  been  effected ;  and  those  held  as  pris 
oners  at  this  point  are  to  take  passage  North  on  the 
next  flag-of-truce  boat,  and  will  leave  this  place  for 
Charleston  on  the  four  o'clock  p.  M.  train.  The 
wildest  enthusism  prevails  among  them.  An  ex 
change  from  close,  confinement  in  the  hands  of  an 
enemy,  to  perfect  freedom  among  one's  friends  is 
certainly  a  sufficient  cause  for  exultation  and  joy. 

The  D.D.s  and  M.D.s  are  now  the  great  centre 
of  attraction  with  the  prisoners.  Crowds  have  been 
collecting  around  them  all  day,  with  some  message 
for  their  friends  at  home,  which  they  promise  sacred 
ly  to  deliver.  They  will  be  sadly  missed  by  us  ;  for 
they  were  untiring  in  their  labors  while  here. 

September  1.  —  Heavy  cannonading  has  been 
heard  in  the  direction  of  Charleston  all  day.  The 
atmosphere  is  damp,  and  the  heavy  booming  of  Gil- 
more's  "  swamp  angel "  has  been  distinctly  brought 
to  our  ears. 

Have  been  amusing  myself  during  my  stay  here, 
in  studying  geometry.  As  a  matter  of  review  it 
does  very  well,  but  I  question  whether  much  prog 
ress  could  be  made  in  any  new  department  of  study. 
Samuel  Johnson,  I  think  it  was,  who,  when  he 
suspected  that  his  brain  might  be  softening,  used  to 
turn  to  mathematics  as  a  test.  If  we  were  tried  by 
such  a  standard,  I  fear  many  of  us  might  find  our 
selves  candidates  for  a  lunatic  asylum. 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  14.1 

September  11.  — Exchange  stock  above  par.  It 
is  rumored  that  we  are  to  be  sent  to  Charleston  in 
the  morning  for  exchange,  but  few  are  inclined  to 
invest.  The  general  impression  is  that  if  we  are 
removed  at  all,  it  will  be  to  share  the  fate  of  our 
fellow-officers,  who  were  sent  thither  from  Macon. 
It  is  not  with  pleasant  feelings  that  we  anticipate  a 
removal.  Our  treatment  here  has  been  kind  and 
even  generous,  in  many  instances.,  and  it  is  feared 
that  an  exchange  can  only  be  for  the  worse.  Dread 
ing  greater  hardships,  we  leave  Savannah  with 
regret. 


142  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON  PEN, 


CHAPTER   IX. 

AT   CHARLESTON,    " UNDER  FIRE." 

LATE  in  the  evening  of  September  llth,  without 
•warning  or  explanation  other  than  our  own  hope? 
and  fears  suggested,  we  received  the  order  "pack 
up,"  —  a  generic  command  which  had  no  very  literal 
significance  under  the  circumstances,  and  yet  it 
necessitated  some  little  compliance. 

A  prisoner  without  shoes  for  his  feet  or  coat  for 
his  back,  with  one  hat  and  one  shirt  and  no  blanket, 
will  yet  be  thankful  for  a  little  time  in  which  to 
pack  up.  If  he  is  a  Yankee,  he  has  become  the 
owner  of  some  personal  property,  though  his  bond 
age  have  been  on  Sahara's  barren  desert ;  and  then 
there  are  souvenirs  of  home  that  his  tact  and  ten 
derness  have  retained  in  spite  of  Rebel  serveillauce  ; 
and  he  must  take^with  him  relics  of  his  dark,  gloomy 
prison  home.  (This  passion  for  relics  is  all  pre 
vailing  among  northern  soldier"^. 

If  a  Yankee  boy  were  incarcerated  in  the  sul 
phurous  dungeon  of  Xs£Jtal§*  the  chances  are  ten 
to  one  that  he  would  bring  away  with  him  on  his 
release  a  piece  of  brimstone  at  least,  though  he  had 
to  burn  his  fingers  in  getting  it,  and  Cerebrus  would 
be  more  than  usually  alert,  if  he  didn't  get  half  a 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  143 

dozen  hairs  from  his  tail.  Attention  to  these  relics, 
farewells  to  the  various  scenes  of  suffering  and 

O 

want,  and  especially  the  subject  of  rations,  required 
a  considerable  time. 

J?rom  our  stock  of  corn-meal  we  had  to  make 
"  pones, "or  corn-meal  cakes,  enough  for  the  journey  ; 
these  were  baked  in  the  skillets  before  mentioned, 
one  skillet  serving  for  twenty  men.)  As  soon  as 
"marching  orders  "  were  received  there  was  a  vigor- 

o  o 

ous  rush  for  the  skillets,  of  course,  and  "De'il  take 
the  hindermost,"  found  a  practical  illustration. 
Those  who  foiled  to  be  first,  strove  to  be  second,  by 
exacting  a  pledge  from  No.  1,  that  he  would  give 
them  the  skillet  when  he  was  through  with  it ;  those 
•who  failed  to  be  second  would  fain  content  them 
selves  with  being  third,  and  so  on  up  the  scale. 

Sometimes  differences  of  opinion  arose  with  re 
gard  to  the  relative  position  of  certain  parties  on 
the  "skillet"  schedule,  and  mild  knock-downs  re 
sulted,  which  placed  both  at  the  foot  of  the  list. 

Men  will  fight  for  their  "rights"  even  when  staring 
death  in  the  face  in  a  southern  prison.  Had  they 
all  been  sentenced  to  be  hung,  they  would  doubtless 
have  "  stood  on  the  order  of  their  going,"  and  in 
sisted  on  the  precedence  of  rank. 

Baking  the  "pones  "  occupied  the  greater  part  of 
the  night,  and  on  the  morning  of  September  12th 
at  six  o'clock,  we  were  marched  out  of  Camp  Da 
vidson  by  our  old  guard,  the  Second  Georgia  Reg 
ulars. 

There  is  something  sad  about  leaving  even  a  "Prison 


144  .  THE    CAPTURE,    THE   PRISON  PEN, 

Pen  "  after  a  long  and  familiar  acquaintance.  Fibres 
of  attachment  will  spring  from  the  heait  to  fasten 
on  the  most  loathsome  objects  where  circumstances 
of  necessity  and  mutual  suffering  make  the  soil 
mellow.  I  felt  stealing  over  me  something  of  those 
hopeless  emotions  which  brought  Byron's  sad  and 
subdued  "Prisoner  of  Chillon"  to  say  :  — 

"  My  very  chains  and  I  grew  friends, 
So  much  a  long  communion  tends 
To  make  us  what  we  are  ;  —  even  I 
Regained  my  freedom  with  a  sigh." 


Only  ours  was  not  freedom,  but  rather  something 
worse  than  the  worst  bondage.  vJYe  were  to  be 
taken  to  Charleston  and  placed  under  the  fire  of  our 
own  batteries,  for  the  enemy  seem  to  think  that  we 
may  be  the  means  of  saving  the  besieged  city  from 
the  doom  which  inevitably  awaits  it}  Of  course 
they  affirm  that  this  is  retaliation,  but  with  the 
North  retaliation  has  ever  been  looked  upon  as  a 
sad  extremity,  and  to  be  exercised  only  when  no 
other  resource  remains  fbr  restraining  the  excesses 
of  its  foes.  With  the  Rebels,  the  slightest  pretext 
has  been  sufficient  to  cause  the  most  wanton  destruc 
tion  of  life. 

After  leaving  our  camp  at  Savannah,  we  were 
turned  over  to  the  City  Battalion  which  guarded  us 
through  town. 

We  remained  for  a  number  of  hours  in  the  dusty 
streets  of  the  city,  under  the  scorching  heat  of  the 
suii,  when  we  were  ordered  into  cattle  cars,  weary 


AND   THE  ESCAPE.  145 

and  sick  at  heart,  yet  not  entirely  despondent,  for 
there  is 

"  No  grief  so  great,  but  runneth  to  an  end, 
No  hap  so  hard,  but  will  in  time  amend." 

One  of  our  number  having  obtained  permission 
from  the  nearest  guard,  under  the  plea  of  necessity, 
stepped  out  of  his  car  at  the  first  station,  when  he 
was  immediately  fired  upon  by  several  others.  The 
prisoner  only  saved  his  life  by  dodging  under  the 
car.  Even  while  there,  the  commanding  officer  of 
the  guard  rushed  up  with  boisterous  curses  and 
discharged  his  revolver  at  the  defenceless  victim 
without  asking  a  word  of  explanation.  The  prisoner 
was  dragged  from  under  the  car  and  thrown  back 
among  his  fellows.  And  yet  these  men,  who  could 
thus  murderously  fire  on  a  defenceless  prisoner 
guilty  of  no  offence,  were  constantly  talking  of  their 
honor  and  their  "chivalry."  Their  deeds  will  pub 
lish  their  true  characters  long  after  their  words  are 
forgotten. 

A  run  of  ten  or  twelve  hours  brought  us  to 
Charleston.  The  citizens  turned  out  in  crowds  as 
we  marched  down  Coming  Street,  and,  as  usual, 
we  listened  to  the  stereotyped  billingsgate  of  the 
Southern  chivalry.  We  were  entirely  satisfied  that 
"familiarity  breeds  contempt,"  as  AVC  listened  to 
their  coarse  comments  on  the  "  damned  Yankees," 
"  northern  blue-bellies,"  !f  baboons,"  "  Lincoln's 
monkeys,"  etc.  Many,  on  the  other  hand,  in  the 
interval  of  our  short  halts,  expressed  sincere  regrets 


116  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON  PEN, 

at  our  unfortunate  situation,  and,  rather  quietly,  to 
be  sure,  assured  us  of  their  faith  in  the  ultimate 
triumph  of  the  Government.  It  was  rather  sur 
prising  to  find  so  many  of  this  class  in  the  cradle  of 
secession.  There  were  just  enough  of  them  to  save 
from  utter  ruin  that  treason-polluted  city. 

Our  destination  was  Charleston  jail-yard,  the 
grand  receptacle  of  all  Union  prisoners  in  Charles 
ton.  It  is  situated  in  the  south-eastern  portion  of 
the  city,  and  in  plain  view  of  Morris  Island,  on 
which  our  batteries  were  planted,  which  did  such 
fearful  execution. 

CHARLESTON   JAIL   AND   ITS   INMATES. 

1  The  jail  is  a  large  octagonal  building  of  four 
stories,  surmounted  by  a  tower  forty  feet  in  height. 
On  the  right  is  the  large  bastile-shaped  work-house, 
where  a  part  of  the  prisoners  were  confined*) 

The  gallows  is  located  at  the  south  side  of  tho 
jail,  and  the  fragment  of  a  tent  which  I  occupied 
was  directly  in  front  of  it.  This  is  the  nearest  we 
ever  came  to  hanging,  so  far  as  I  could  learn,  — 
unless  it  be  the  necessary  suspense  of  our  situation. 

Our  quarters  were  in  the  yard,  and  the  whole 
enclosure  was  surrounded  by  a- massive  wall  of 
masonry  sixteen  feet  in  height.  (  Everything  was  in 
the  most  filthy  condition  conceivable,  having  been 
occupied  for  a  long  time  by  prisoners  and  convicts, 
without  ever  having  been  cleaned.  We  were  unable 
to  obtain  even  the  necessary  tools  from  the  authori 
ties,  to  do  this  work  ourselves.  Its  sanitary  condi- 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  149 

tion  was  such,  that  it  seemed  impossible  for  us  to 
remain  there  long  without  suffering  from  some  foul 
and  malignant  disease.  The  ground  was  literally 
covered  with  vermin.  A  fellow-prisoner  has  said 
that  he  thought  it  the  "nastiest,  dirtiest,  filthiest, 
lousiest  place  he  was  ever  in."  ; 

(WG  were  without  shelter^  Fragments  of  tents 
were  still  standing,  but  afforded  no  protection  from 
the  sun  or  storm,  for  the  prisoners  who  were  con 
fined  there  before  us,  many  of  whom  were  from 
Andcrsonville,  were  in  such  a  destitute  condition 
upon  their  arrival,  that  they  cut  the  tents  to  pieces 
to  make  themselves  clothes  to  wear.s\ 

The  ground  floor  of  the  jail  was  occupied  by  civil 
convicts ;  the  second  story,  by  Rebel  officers  and 
soldiers  under  punishment  for  military  offences  ;  the 
third  story,  by  negro  prisoners ;  and  the  fourth,  by 
Federal  and  Rebel  deserters. 

It  is  a  fine  compliment  to  the  good  sense  of  the 
Rebels,  that  the  deserters  from  either  side  .were 
treated  with  the  same  severity.  They  seemed  to 
consider  that  none  but  those  who  deserved  the  se 
verest  punishment  would  be  guilty  of  deserting  the 
Federal  army  to  go  over  to  them ;  and  so  they 
placed  them  side  by  side  with  deserters  from  their 
own  ranks,  and  subjected  them  to  the  same  priva 
tions. 

It  must  have  been  consoling  to  the  cowards  and 
sneaks,  who  deserted  the  Stars  and  Stripes,  to  re 
ceive  such  close  attention.  Sometimes  they  ventured 
down  from  their  fourth  story  to  mingle  with  the 


150  THE    CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON  PEN, 

Federal  soldiers  in  the  yard.  Under  such  circum 
stances  nothing  could  restrain  the  prisoners  from 
working  a  general  onslaught,  and  the  miserable 
slinks  did  well  if  they  got  back  to  their  "  sky-lo£t " 
with  whole  heads.  This  righteous  indignation  of 
suffering  soldiers  was  a  natural  out-cropping  of  that 
heroic  determination  which  kept  their  patriotism 
burning  brightly  in  the  midst  of  their  untold  suf 
ferings. 

Many  of  the  negro  prisoners  in  the  jail  were 
captured  at  our  assault  on  Fort  Wagner.  I  had  a 
conversation  with  Sergt.  Johnson  (colored),  Com 
pany  F,  Fifty-fifth  Massachusetts  Infantry ;  he  was 
a  full-blooded  negro,  bivt  possessed  of  no  ordinary 
degree  of  intelligence/;  he  gave  me  an  interesting 
history  of  the  captivity  and  trial  of  the  negro  pris 
oners!  Soon  after  their  capture  they  were  informed, 
that  they  were  to  be  tried  by  a.  civil  commission  on 
a  charge  of  having  abandoned  their  masters  and 
enlisted  in  the  United  States  army,  and  if  found 
guilty,  they  were  told  that  they  might  make  up  their 
minds  to  stretch  hemp.  And  why  should  thev  not 
be  found  guilty?  to  be  sure,  nearly  all  were  from 
the  North  and  had  always  been  free  ;  but  they  knew 
full  well  that  this  court  was  formed,  not  to  subserve 
the  ends  of  justice,  but  to  convict,  for  the  Rebels 
had  sufficiently  illustrated  their  method  of  dealing 
with  negro  prisoners,  that  is,  when  they  deigned  to 
receive  them  as  such,  instead  of  murdering  them  in 
cold  blood,  in  order  to  convince  their  comrades  of 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  151 

the  ^narrow  chances  for  life,  should  they  unfortu 
nately  fall  into  the  hands  of  an  enemy. 

A  FPJEND. 

The  sergeant  told  me  that  they  were  surprised  to 
find  a  friend  in  a  relative  of  Ex-Gov.  Pickens  of 
South  Carolina.  The  governor  himself  was  true  io 
Southern  principles,  having  been  elected  to  the 
legislature  of  his  State  by  the  nullih'ers  in  1832,  and 
being  among  the  foremost  to  urge  his  State  out  of 
the  Union  in  18 GO  ;  but  this  friend  to  the  oppressed 
remained  firm  in  the  cause  of  his  country,  and 
bravely  lo}~al  as  the  sequel  will  show.  He  came  to 
them  and  offered  unrecompensed  to  plead  their 
cause  before  the  sham  tribunal  that  was  to  decide 
their  fate.  When  he  first  revealed  his  intention  to 
act  in  their  behalf,  he  was  regarded  as  an  impostor, 
a  government  detective,  whose  only  object  was  to 
learn  their  history  ;  that  is,  to  ascertain  if  they  had 
been  slaves,  to  whom  they  had  belonged,  and  under 
what  circumstances  they  had  left  their  masters.  But 
he  persisted,  and  gave  them  money  to  purchase  little 
necessaries  (for  nothing  but  corn-meal  was  issued 
to  them,  and  this  in  very  small  quantities),  and  left 
them  with  the  promise  that  he  would  soon  return, 
and  report  the  progress  of  his  investigations ;  but 
when  he  came,  he  found  them  still  doubting,  and 
unwilling  to  place  confidence  in  him  ;  but,  caljing 
them  together,  he  related  that  before  the  war  he 
himself  was  a  slaveholder,  and  was  known  and  re 
spected  throughout  his  State.  But  at  the  commence- 


152  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON  PEF, 

ment  of  this  intestine  strife,  having  proved  true  to 
the  "  old  flag,"  his  property  had  been  swept  from 
him,  calling  him  traitor,  and  an  abolitionist,  and  that 
now  he  was  an  outcast  among  his  friends,  and  iu 
constant  danger  of  being  assassinated. 

GENUINE   PATRIOTISM. 

He  also  told  them  that  he  knew  that  this  must  "be 
his  fate,  from  the  first,  if  he  remained  true  to  his 
convictions ;  but  that,  having  counted  the  cost,  it 
was  as  nothing  when  weighed  in  the  balance  against 
truth ;  and  he  was  now  prepared  to  do  his  work 
thoroughly  and  unhesitatingly,  regarding  only  as 
friends  those  who  were  true  to  the  cause  of  their 
country. 

By  this  means  he  gained  their  confidence,  for 
there  is  a  higher  language  than  the  written.  It  is 
seen  in  the  mute  dropping  of  the  tear,  in  the  trem 
bling  of  the  lip,  in  the  flashing  of  the  eye,  in  the 
melody  of  the  voice.  The  tones  of  sympathy  and 
friendship  cannot  be  successfully  counterfeited. 
Deceivers  may  impose  on  those  whose  perceptions 
have  been  dulled  by  the  conventionalities  and  al 
lowed  hypocrisies  of  society  ;  but  the  quick-sighted 
instincts  of  the  child  of  nature  will  readily  detect 
the  fraud.  They  listen  to  the  words  of  a  man,  and 
then  look  into  his  eyes  to  interpret  his  meaning ; 
and  this  decision  cannot  be  revoked.  A  nd  when 
this  language  shall  become  as  universally  studied 
and  understood  as  the  written  language  which  we 
speak,  then  shall  the  divine  command,  "  Thou  shalt 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  153 

not  lie,"  never  be  violated  on  account  of  the  inability 
of  mankind  to  deceive  us  with  their  words. 

As  the  sergeant  related  to  me  how  untiring  wero 
the  efforts  of  this  friend  during  their  prolonged  and 
doubtful  trial,  in  combating  error  with  firm,  con 
vincing  truth,  in  proving  their  innocence,  even  under 
laws  that  were  made  but  for  white  men,  he  seemed 
at  times  to  be  completely  overcome  by  his  feelings, 
so  unused  was  he  to  sj'mpathy  or  kind  words  ;  but 
when  their  trial  was  once  over,  and  their  innocence 
established,  they  returned  to  jail,  to  be  regarded  as 
prisoners  of  war. 

THE   LAST  VISIT. 

It  was  after  their  return  to  the  jail  that  their 
friend  and  advocate  visited  them  for  the  last  time. 
Their  emotions  were  uncontrollable,  and  they  seemed 
unable  to  give  even  a  faint  expression  of  their  grati 
tude  to  him  who  had  sacrificed  so  much  for  them. 
Their  admiration  for  this  devoted  friend  of  the  Union 
was  so  great,  that  the  mere  mention  of  his  name  is 
sufficient  to  bring  tears  to  the  eyes  of  these  swarthy 
sons,  who  have  thus  far  had  so  little  to  be  grateful 
to  us  for. 

This  young  man,  who  thus  came  forward  to  defend 
innocent  and  unfortunate  men,  was  to  them,  and  is 
to  us  "  nameless  "  ;  but  his  memory  will  be  green  in 
their  simple  hearts  until  their  black  faces  go  down 
to  the  grave.  The  gratitude  of  the  humblest  of  our 
fellow-men  is  a  treasure  the  true  heart  will  cherish. 

This  stranger  died  shortly  after.     Whatever  may 


154  THE   CAPTURE,  THE  PRISON  PEN, 

have  been  his  previous  life,  he  carries  with  him  in 
the  act  of  unselfish  philanthropy  a  gift  that  is  dear 
to  Heaven. 

NEGRO    MELODIES. 

At  the  close  of  clay  the  negro  prisoners  made  a 
practice  of  getting  together  in  the  jail,  and  singing 
their  plaintive  melodies  till  late  in  the  evening.  The 
character  of  their  songs  was  usually  mournful ;  and 
it  was  often  affecting  to  listen  to  them  —  always 
embodying,  as  they  did,  those  simple,  child-like 
emotions  and  sentiments  for  which  the  negro  is  so 
justly  celebrated.  The  harmony  and  rich  melody 
of  their  voices  are  rarely  surpassed.  Indeed,  this 
seems  a  special  gift  to  them.  This  very  fact  gives 
the  surest  promise  of  their  future  elevation  and 
refinement.  No  race  so  delicately  sensitive  to  the 
emotional  can  be  essentially  coarse  and  barbarous. 

One  song,  which  appeared  to  be  a  special  favorite 
with  them,  was  written  by  Sergeant  Johnson,  whom 
I  have  before  mentioned.  He  intended  it  as  a  parody 
on  "  When  this  cruel  war  is  over."  I  give  the  song 
as  he  furnished  it  to  me. 

I. 

"  When  I  enlisted  in  the  army, 

Then  I  thought  'twas  grand, 
Marching  through  the  streets  of  Boston 

Behind  a  regimental  band. 
When  at  Wagner  I  was  captured, 

Then  my  courage  failed  ; 
Now  I'm  lousy,  hungry,  naked, 

Here  in  Charleston  jail. 


AND   THE   ESCAPE. 


155 


CHOEUS.    Weeping,  sad  and  lonely  — 

Oli !  how  bad  I  feel ; 
Down  in  Charleston,  South  Car'Lna, 
Praying  for  a  good  '  square  nieal  * 

II. 

« •  If  Jeff.  Davis  will  release  me, 

Oh,  how  glad  I'll  be  ; 
When  I  get  on  Morris  Island 

Then  I  shall  be  free ; 
Then  I'll  tell  those  conscript  soldiers 

How  they  use  us  here ; 
Giving  us  an  old  •  corn-dodger '  — 

They  call  it  prisoner's  fare. 

III. 

"  We  are  longing,  watching,  praying, 

But  will  not  repine 
Till  Jeff.  Davis  does  release  us, 

And  sends  us  *  in  our  lines.' 
Then  with  words  of  kind  affection, 

How  they'll  greet  us  there  ! 
Wondering  how  we  could  live  so  long 

Upon  the  '  dodgers  fare.' 

CHORUS.    Then  we  will  laugh  long  and  k  arlly— 

Oh,  how  glad  we'll  feel, 
When  we  arrive  on  Morris  Island 
And  eat  a  good  '  square  meal.' " 

The  negroes  sang  this  song  with  a  great  deal  of 
zest,  as  it  related  to  their  present  sufferings,  and 
was  just  mournful  enough  to  excite  our  sympathy. 

A  small  portion  of  the  present  inmates  of  the  jail- 
yard  were  removed  here  from  A nflorsonvilfc  ;_and 
I  have  listened  with  pain  and  perfect  horror  to  tho 


156  THE    CAPTURE,    TftE    PXISOX   PEN, 

history  of  their  past  treatment.  JFuture  generations 
will  stand  aghast  in  view  of  the  linheard  of  and  pit 
iless  deeds  of  men,  steeped  in  infamy  —  their  foul 
and  barbarous  usage  of  our  unfortunate  soldiers^ 

(At  Andersonville  large  numbers  were  crowded 
into  a  small  spacepwhere  the  ground  was  literally 
alive  with  vermin. )  During  the  heat  of  day,  by 
watching  closely  in  the  warm  sand,  you  could  per 
ceive  a  constant  motion  among  the  particles  ;  so  alive 
was  it  with  lice.  On  such  ground  as  this,  the  men 
were  closely  crowded  together,  without  shelter,  and 
with  fare  which  a  Rebel  surgeon  himself  declared, 
w  would  produce  disease  among  swine."  ) 

AWFUL   CONDITION   OF   THE   HOSPITAL. 

\The  hospital  was  in  the  most  wretched  condition^) 
no  one  left  the  pen,  however  feeble  he  might  be, 
who  had  any  friend  to  attend  to  his  wants,  for  the 
only  advantage  gained  by  leaving  the  stockade,  was 
a  shelter  from  the  scorching  rays  of  the  sun,  but 
this  was  counterbalanced  by  being  brought  in  such 
immediate  contact  with  so  many  afflicted  with  the 
most  foul  and  offensive  diseases. 

The  men  were  placed  upon  the  ground,  nothing 
underneath  them,  and  usually  without  covering, 
while  the  nights  were  so  chilling  as  to  keep  the 
poor  fellows  quaking  with  cold  until  the  sun  ap 
peared  again  to  warm  them,  and  then  followed  the 
other  extreme,  the  intense  heat  which  rendered  the 
sufferings  of  those  intolerable  whose  blood  was 
almost  quenched  with  burning  fevers. 


AND   THE  ESCAPE.  157 

/The  Eebel  surgeons  seemed  to  give  them  little  or 
no  care. 

So  filthy  and  obnoxious,  so  infested  with  vermin, 
and  so  loathsome  had  this  den  of  living  death  be 
come,  that  it  was  indeed  impossible  for  a  person  of 
good  health  to  endure  it  long. 

While  such  a  state  of  things  existed,  it  is  not 

strange  that  the  mortality  among  them  was  fearful. 

/  Each  day  the  dead  were  carried  away  by  scores, 

n:heir  places  to  be  again  filled  by  others,  who  in  all 

probability  would   soon  share  the    same  fate,   for 

none  but  those  who  were  so  low  as  to  be  past  cure 

were  ever  looked  at  by  the  surgeons,  and  nearly  as 

many  died  within  the  pen,  without  ever  receiving 

any  medical  treatment,  as  in  the  hospital. 

A  fearful  responsibility  certainly  rests  somewhere, 
and  men  who  could  thus  wantonly  murder  so  many 
helpless  and  innocent  men,  are  almost  as  much  to  be 
pitied  for  their  moral  depravity  as  the  prisoners  for 
their  bodily  suffering,  and  yet  these  martyrs  to  the 
cause  of  "Liberty  and  their  Country,"  never  mur 
mured  against  the  Government,  always  believing 
that  it  was  powerless  to  help  them,  or  else  that  it 
did- not  understand  their  true  condition. 

v-I  have  noticed  scarcely  a  prisoner  from  Ander- 
sonville,  who  was  not  more  or  less  affected  by  some 
disease  contracted  there,  so  that  we  now  see  the 
truthfulness  of  what  they  say  proven  by  their  phys 
ical  condition.) 

lOue  poor  fellow,  who  was  lying  in  the  jail-yard 
wlien"  we  arrived,  recognized  in  one  of  our  number 


158  THE    CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON  PEN, 

his  former  captain.  In  a  feeble  voice,  he  addressed 
him  as  such,  but  the  poor  prisoner  was  so  tattered 
and  emaciated,  and  blackened  by  disease  and  ex 
posure,  that  the  captain  did  not  recognize  him.  A 
faltering,  broken  explanation  located  him  in  his 
memory,  and  they  took  a  melancholy  pleasure  in 
rehearsing  their  mutual  and  individual  experiences. 
The  dying  man  was  too  far  gone  to  need  assistance 
had  any  been  possible,  and  all  the  captain  could  do 
was  to  lie  down  by  his  side  during  the  long,  cold 
night  that  followed,  and  close  his  lifeless  eyes  in  the 


morning. 


A   THUNDER-STORM. 


September  20.  — I  find  myself  weak  and  exhaust 
ed  this  morning,  with  blood  feverish  and  my  system 
racked  with  pain,  the  result  of  yesterday's  suffering ; 
for  it  was  one  of  the  most  wretched  days  that  I  have 
passed  since  my  capture. 

Nothing  could  have  been  more  lovely  than  the 
morning,  but  the  sky  was  soon  overcast  with  dark 
clouds,  and  one  of  the  most  fearful  thunder-storms 
broke  forth  that  I  have  ever  witnessed,  followed  by 
a  severe  and  drenching  rain,  which  continued  during 
the  day  and  night.  We  were  without  shelter,  or 
wood  to  build  fires,  and  were  obliged  to  exercise 
constantly  to  keep  from  chilling. 

REFUSED   ADMISSION   TO   THE   JAIL. 

At  night,  as  there  were  no  signs  of  the  storm 
abating,  we  sent  a  committee  to  wait  upon  the  jailer, 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  159 

to  obtain  permission,  if  possible,  to  go  inside  the 
jail,  as  there  were  a  number  of  unoccupied  cells,  but 
were  refused  admission  without  a  reason  being  given. 

Before  morning  the  yard  became  flooded  with 
water  some  four  or  five  inches  deep,  and  with  our 
garments  drenched  and  our  limbs  benumbed  with 
cold,  we  were  compelled  to  walk  through  this  flood, 
in  order  to  keep  the  blood  in  circulation. 

There  were  a  few  small  out-houses  connected 
with  the  jail,  formerly  used  as  sinks,  and  which 
were  in  the  most  loathsome  and  filthy  condition ;  yet 
into  these  a  small  portion  of  the  prisoners  crowded 
themselves,  and  were  partially  protected  from  the 
storm,  but  suffered  almost  as  severely  from  the  ob 
noxious  vapors,  as  we  from  the  drenching  rain. 

Our  situation  called  to  mind  the  experiences  of 
persons  whose  minds  had  become  weakened  by  a 
necessitated  abode  on  some  desert  island,  whose 
manhood  had  been  lost  by  an  unbroken  familiarity 
with  forest  solitudes  and  savage  beasts,  whose  na 
tures  had  been  almost  changed  by  the  wind  and 
spray  and  shell-fish  diet  of  some  bleak  ocean-rock ; 
and  I  wondered,  since  the  influences  in  the  outer 
world  are  so  potent  for  good  or  evil,  what  must  be 
the  effect  upon  us,  whose  vision  cannot  extend  be 
yond  the  dismal  walls  which  surround  this  abode  of 
misery.  The  monotony,  too,  is  only  relieved  by  a 
"jail,"  a  "  work-house,"  and  the  whizzing,  bursting 
shells. 

September  22. —  Heat  oppressive.  Heard  from 
the  members  of  my  regiment  who  are  confined  in 


160  THE    CAPTURED    THE  PRISON  PEN, 

Roper  Hospital.  They  are  making  an  effort  to  have 
Richardson  and  myself  transferred  to  that  build 
ing,  which  is  a  far  better  place  than  the  jail-yard, 
although  it  is  quite  as  much  exposed  to  shot  and 
shell. 

The  naval  officers  are  in  excellent  spirits  at  pres 
ent,  having  learned  by  the  last  flag-of-truce  boat 
that  terms  for  a  special  exchange  of  all  naval  pris 
oners  have  been  agreed  upon. 

Shelling  is  kept  up  vigorously.  From  sixty  to  a 
hundred  huge,  smoking  two-hundred-pounders  con 
vey  Federal  compliments  daily  to  the  cursing  city. 

It  is  a  singularly  noticeable  fact,  that  every 
Charleston  paper,  in  its  report  of  "  damage  done  the 
city"  by  our  batteries,  never  chronicles  the  loss  of 
a  white  person ;  but  in  every  morning  edition  we 
notice  the  name  of  some  "  poor  negro,"  whose  life 
has  been  taken  by  the  "  cruel  barbarity  of  the  d — d 
Yankees." 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  161 


CHAPTER    X. 

ROPER  HOSPITAL,    CHARLESTON. 

September  29. — To-day  is  an  eventful  one  for 
Richardson  and  myself.  Our  rations  being  entirely 
gone,  we  started  in  quest  of  something  to  eat,  after 
taking  our  usual  morning  bath.  TVre  succeeded  in 
finding  a  friend  who  had  a  little  corn-meal  left,  and 
who  willingly  shared  it  with  us. 

Hastening  back  to  our  quarters,  we  converted  it 
into  mush,  and  sat  down  fully  prepared  to  do  ample 
justice  to  the  dish,  when  a  cry  was  heard,  "All 
those  whose  names  are  called  will  prepare  to  go  to 
Roper  Hospital  immediately." 

AVe  listen,  but  our  names  are  not  called  ;  we  wait 
and  wait  for  the  next  list  to  be  read.  It  seems  evi 
dent  that  we  are  destined  to  remain  in  the  jail-yard, 
when,  to  our  great  surprise,  we  hear  the  welcome 
voice  of  Major  E.  F.  Cooke,  of  the  old  regiment, 
who  has  at  last  succeeded  in  persuading  the  authori 
ties  to  remove  us  from  this  hell  on  earth.  How  we 
start !  How  eagerly  do  we  grasp  his  extended  hand  ! 
He  tells  us  to  "pack  up,"  which  requires  but  a 
moment,  as  our  wardrobe  is  very  scanty,  and  our 
equipments  few.  Passing  through  the  heavy  doors 
of  the  jail,  it  seemed  as  though  a  new  life  had 


162  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON  PEN, 

sprung  up  within  us.  We  felt  free,  although  the 
Rebel  bayonets  still  surrounded  us.  We  were 
taken  before  the  Rebel  commandant,  to  whom  we 
gave  the  following  parole  :  — 

"  CHARLESTON,  S.  C.,  C.  S.  A.,  f 
**  September  — ,  1864.  \ 

"  We,  the  undersigned,  prisoners  of  war,  confined  in  the 
city  of  Charleston,  in  the  Confederate  States  of  America,  do 
pledge  our  parole,  individually,  as  military  men  and  men  of 
honor,  that  we  will  not  attempt  to  pass  the  lines  which  shall 
be  established  and  guarded  around  our  prison-house;  nor 
will  we,  by  letter,  word,  or  sign,  hold  any  intercourse  with 
parties  beyond  those  lines,  nor  with  those  who  may  visit  us, 
without  authority.  It  is  understood  by  us  that  this  parole  is 
voluntary  on  our  part,  and  given  in  consideration  of  privi 
leges  secured  to  us,  by  lessening  the  stringency  of  the  guard, 
of  free  ingress  and  egress  of  the  house  and  appointed  grounds 
during  the  day,  by  which  we  secure  a  liberty  of  fresh  air  and 
exercise  grateful  to  comfort  and  health. 

'*  Hereby  we  admit  that  this,  our  parole,  binds  us  in  letter 
and  spirit,  with  no  room  for  doubt  or  technicality  of  con 
struction,  and  its  violation  will  be  an  act  of  lasting  disgrace. 
Signed : " 

After  signing  this  we  were  marched  under  guard 
through  the  gateway  of  "  Roper  "  into  the  beautiful 
garden  of  the  hospital.  How  great  the  change  ! 
Here  we  are  comparatively  free.  Here  all  seem 
better  contented.  We  are  assigned  quarters  on  the 
third-floor  piazza  :  the  hard  floor  seeming  a  luxury, 
and  the  place  itself  a  paradise,  compared  to  that 
worse  than  grave  —  Charleston  jail-yard. 

September  30.  —  Sixty  shells  and  solid  shot  of 
very  heavy  calibre  were  thrown  into  the  city  to-d-uy, 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  163 

many  of  which  exploded  in  what  is  commonly  called 
the 

BURNT   DISTRICT. 

It  covers  about  one-third  of  the  city,  and  was  burnt 
during  the  early  part  of  the  year,  having  been  set 
on  fire  by  the  explosion  of  shells  thrown  from  our 
batteries  on  Morris  Island. 

This  part  of  the  city  has  been  deserted  by  all 
except  the  negroes,  who,  whenever  there  is  a  cessa 
tion  of  shelling  for  a  short  time,  flock  here  in  great 
numbers  to  save  rent.  But  a  few  shell  dropped 
into  the  streets  will  soon  disperse  them,  although 
they  are  easily  tempted  back  again.  And  after  a 
few  days  of  quiet,  they  may  be  seen  trudging  around 
with  bundles  on  their  backs,  looking  for  the  most 
favorable  location,  often  taking  up  their  quarters  in 
the  dwellings  of  the  former  notables.  Before  the 
siege  the  poor  negroes  could  only  gain  admission 
by  the  back  entrance,  where,  with  hat  in  hand,  they 
awaited  the  orders  of  "  massa." 

Well,  truth  is  stranger  than  fiction,  and  the  city, 
built  by  the  hard  labor  of  slaves,  now  holds  them 
as  her  principal  occupants. 

SHELLS   A   SUBJECT  FOR  DISCUSSION. 

As  the  shells  from  our  batteries  came  screaming 
over  our  heads  we  took  them  as  the  subject  of  nu 
merous  and  warmly-contested  discussions.  Some, 
for  an  argument,  claimed  that  a  shell  is  entirely 
harmless  in  its  progress  through  the  air  if  it  does  not 
7* 


164  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PHIS  ON 

explode  before  reaching  a  point  directly  overhead ; 
others  asserted  that  it  must  be  past  sufficiently  far 
to  make  an  angle  of  forty-eight  degrees  with  the 
horizon  before  all  danger  is  over.  There  are  many 
absurd  notions  afloat  with  regard  to-  the  explosion 
of  shells.  Pictorial  papers  represent  them  as  ex 
ploding  while  sweeping  through  the  air,  and  the 
fragments  flying  in  all  directions.  Soldiers  return 
from  the  army,  and  tell  of  small  shells  entering  men's 
heads,  exploding  just  as  they  were  passing  through, 
and  so  scattering  brains  and  skulls  to  the  four  winds 
of  heaven. 

The  laws  of  physics  will  teach  us  that  if  a  shell  is 
moving  through  the  air  with  a  velocity  greater  than 
that  which  its  explosion  is  capable  of  giving  to  the 
fragments,  none  of  them  can  possibly  fall  back  of 
the  place  of  explosion.  If  the  velocities  here 
spoken  of  should  be  exactly  equal,  the  pieces  of  the 
shell  on  J;he  side  next  the  mortar  would  be.  just 
stopped  by  the  explosion,  and  so  would  fall  perpen 
dicularly  to  the  ground,  while  those  on  the  side 
opposite  the  mortar,  being  propelled  by  two  forces 
(that  of  the  mortar  and  that  of  the  explosion), 
would  necessarily  be  thrown  a  great  distance  for 
ward.  The  pieces  at  right  angles  to  the  direction 
of  motion  would  be  thrown  at  right  angles  to  this 
direction  if  the  velocities  were  equal ;  if  not  equal 
they  would  move  obliquely  backwards  or  forwards 
according  to  the  velocities,  making  the  hypotheneuse 
of  a  parallelogram.  The  explosion  of  shells  over 
large  bodies  of  watei  will  thoroughly  test  these 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  165 

conclusions ;  and  observations  made  under  such  cir 
cumstances  prove  them  to  be  correct.  If  a  shell 
explodes  when  moving  rapidly  over  a  body  of  water 
the  pieces  all  strike  the  water  several  rods  in  ad 
vance  of  the  place  of  explosion,  —  some  more,  some 
less,  —  the  pun0  of  smoke  still  remaining  to  mark 
the  spot.  Some  move  obliquely  forward,  some 
strike  nearer  and  some  farther  from  the  place  of 
explosion.  It  would  not  be  difficult  to  tell  from  the 
striking  location  of  any  fragment  whether  it  was  at 
the  north,  south,  east,  or  west  side  of  the  shell  at 
the  instant  of  explosion.  If  a  shell  is  stationary,  or 
moving  very  slowly,  the  pieces  of  course  fly  in  all 
directions. 

Groups  of  prisoners  collected  from  time  to  time 
for  the  purpose  of  discussing  this  and  various  other 
subjects  in  which  we  had  a  direct,  though  unpleasant 
interest.  Hours  were  spent  thus,  whilst  every  fif 
teen  or  twenty  minutes  we  could  see  the  smoke  and 
hear  the  explosion  of  "  Foster's  messengers,"  as 
we  called  them,  which  came  to  us  in  the  shape 
of  screeching,  tearing,  death-dealing,  two-hundred 
pound  shells ;  and,  although  we  were  completely 
isolated  from  the  outer  world,  yet  these  "  terrible 
despatches  "  seemed  ever  welcome.  They  told  us  of 
the  untiring  perseverance  of  our  forces  on  Morris 
Island. 

So  correct  was  their  aim,  so  well  did  the  gunners 
know  of  our  whereabouts,  that  shells  burst  all 
around  in  front,  and  often  flew  screeching  directly 
overhead  without  injury  to  us.  When  the  distant 


166  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON  P.ELV, 

rumbling  of  the  "swamp-angel"  was  heard,  and  the 
cry  "  Here  it  comes  I  "  resounded  through  our  prison 
house  there  was  a  general  stir.  Sleepers  sprang  to 
their  feet,  the  gloomy  forgot  their  sorrows,  conver 
sation  was  hushed,  and  all  started  to  see  where  tlie 
messenger  would  fall.  Perhaps  it  would  burst  in 
mid  air ;  perhaps  fall  crashing  through  the  roof  of 
some  dwelling,  converting  it  quickly  from  a  stately 
mansion  to  a  heap  of  smoking  ruins. 

The  sight,  at  night,  was  truly  beautiful.  "We 
traced  along  the  sky  a  slight  stream  of  fire,  similar 
to  the  tail  of  a  comet;  followed  its  course  until, 
"  whiz,  whiz,"  came  the  little  pieces  from  our  mighty 
two  hundred  pounders,  like  "grape-shot,"  scattering 
themselves  all  around,  and  assuring  us,  in  unmis 
takable  language,  that  our  soldiers  were  still  bat 
tling  for  the  cause  of  freedom  inviolate. 

October  1. — Yellow  fever  is  raging  fearfully  in 
the  city  at  present.  Five  shells  from  our  batteries 
fell  in  the  burnt  district  to-day.  It  was  amusing  to 
witness  the  flocks  of  negroes,  who  came  running 
from  the  buildings  which  they  have  occupied  since 
the  commencement  of  the  siege  clear  of  rent  charges, 
the  owners  being  too  timid  to  remain  in  that  local 
ity.  The  colored  people  are  often  driven  out  in  this 
manner,  but  invariably  return  after  the  shelling,  to 
enjoy  their  threatened  haunts. 

SISTEKS   OF   CHARITY. 

Confined  as  we  are,  so  far  away  from  every  home 
comfort  and  influence,  aud  from  all  that  makes  life 


AND    THE   L SCAPE.  167 

worth  living  for,  how  quickly  do  we  notice  the  first 
kind  word,  the  p  issing  friendly  glance  !  Can  any 
prisoner,  confined  here,  ever  forgot  the  "Sisters  of 
Charity?"  Ask  the  poor  private,  now  suffering  in 
those  loathsome  hospitals,  so  near  us,  if  he  can  for 
get  the  kind  look,  the  kind  word  given  him  by  that 
"  Sister,"  while  burning  with  fever  or  racked  with 
pain?  Many  are  the  bunches  of  grapes,  many  the 
sip  of  its  pure  juice,  does  the  sufferer  get  from  her 
hands.  They  seem  —  they  are  ministering  angels; 
and  while  all  around  us  are  our  avowed  enemies,  they 
remain  true  to  every  instinct  of  womanhood.  They 
dare  lift  the  finger  to  help,  they  do  relieve  many  a 
sufferer. 

'  All  through  the  South  our  sick  and  wounded  sol 
diers  have  had  reason  to  bless  the  Sisters  of  Charity. 
They  have  ministered  to  their  wants,  and  performed 
those  kind  womanly  offices  which  are  better  to  the 
sick  than  medicine,  and  so  peculiarly  soothing  to 
the  dying.  These  noble  women  have  tended  their 
sick  beds  when  the  other  professedly  Christian  ladies 
of  the  South  looked  on  in  scorn,  and  turned  away 
without  even  a  kind  word.  They  have  done  what 
some  were  too  bitter  and  cruel  to  do ;  they  have 
done  what  others  did  not  dare  to  do.  They  were 
some  how  permitted  to  bestow  charities  wherever 
charities  were  needed,  without  fear  or  molestation. 
Their  bounties  were  bestowed  indiscriminately  on 
Federal  and  Rebel  sufferers,  and  bespoke  a  broad 
philan/hropy,  unlimited  by  party  or  church  or  na 
tion.  Many  a  poor  soldier  has  followed  them  from 


168      •  THE    CAPTURE,   THE  PRISON 

ward  to  ward  with  tearful  eyes,  and  remembered 
the  poet's  lilies  :  — 

"  Woman !    Blest  partner  of  our  joys  and  woes ! 

Even  in  the  darkest  hour  of  earthly  ill, 
Untarnished  yet,  thy  fond  affection  glows, 

Throbs  with  each  pulse,  and  beats  with  every  thrill ! 
When  sorrow  rends  the  heart,  when  feverish  pain 

Wrings  the  hot  drops  of  anguish  from  the  brow, 
To  soothe  the  soul,  to  cool  the  burning  brain, 

Oh,  who  so  welcome,  and  so  prompt  as  thou! 
The  battle's  hurried  scene,  and  angry  blow, 

The  death-encircled  pillow  of  distress, 
The  lonely  moments  of  secluded  woe  — 

Alike  thy  care  and  constancy  confess, 
Alike  thy  pitying  hand  and  fearless  friendship  bless."" 

Were  other  denominations  in  the  South  as  active 
in  aiding  us  as  the  Catholics  have  been,  I  might 
have  some  faith  in  Rebel  Christianity. 

October  2.  —  Several  shells  passed  directly  over 
us  this  afternoon,  a  fragment  of  one  striking  the 
west  end  of  the  building. 

October  3.  —  Our  batteries  have  shelled  the  city 
vigorously  during  the  past  forty-eight  hours.  Many 
explosions  very  near  us.  No  casualties  among  the 
prisoners. 

YELLOW  FEVER. 

The  Eebel  captain  commanding  this  prison,  and 
his  adjutant,  died  last  night  with  yellow  fever. 
Many  prisoners  have  been  swept  off  by  the  same 
within  the  past  few  days. 

October  4. --Heard  from  our  enlisted  men  con- 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  169 

tinned  on  Charleston  Eace  Course.  Starvation, 
exposure,  and  the  frightful  ravages  of  yellow  fever 
are  sweeping  them  off  by  the  score. 

October  5,  eight  A.  M. — Orders  are  issued  to 
w  pack  up  "  once  more.  We  are  to  leave  Charles 
ton.  The  Rebel  authorities  ostensibly  claim  that 
they  are  removing  us  from  the  ravages  of  yellow 
fever.  In  view  of  the  fact  that  we  were  brought 
here  to  be  murdered  by  our  own  guns,  this  assertion 
seems  doubtful,  —  and  in  view  of  the  fact  that  it  is 
no  longer  for  their  interest  to  keep  us  here  it  appears 
more  doubtful.  It  seems  scarcely  credible  that 
Louisianians  should  invoke  the  yellow  fever  upon 
our  armies,  and  South  Carolinians  remove  them  from 
under  its  influence.  We  were  taken  to  Charleston 
to  save  the  city  from  the  shells  of  our  batteries  on 
Morris  Island.  The  result  proved  that  our  gunners 
there  could  fire  over  and  about  our  prison,  and 
scathe  the  blackened  city  as  fiercely  as  ever.  In 
addition  to  this,  General  Foster  placed  an  equal 
number  of  Rebel  officers  on  Government  transports 
in  front  of  his  works,  which  effectually  prevented 
them  from  firing  upon  him.  It  was  for  their  inter 
est,  under  these  circumstances,  to  take  steps  to  get 
these  Rebel  officers  removed.  These  facts  place 
their  humanity  in  rather  bad  odor. 

FAREWELL   TO    CHARLESTON. 

We  bade  the  cruel  city  farewell  without  a  regret. 
It  has  long  been  the  abode  of  outrage  and  injustice. 
We  expected  no  mercy  at  its  hands,  and  have  re- 


170  THE    CAPTURE,    THE   PKISOy 

ceivcd  none.  The  seething,  almost  conscious,  shells 
from  our  island  batteries  are  paying  the  respects  of 
the  North  and  northern  men  to  this  now  desolate 
source  of  treason  and  discontent.  We  leave  3-011  to 
your  fate,  thankful  that  our  presence,  even  as  pris 
oners,  has  not  mitigated  your  punishment. 

The  following  verses  were  composed  by  Lieuten 
ant  J.  Ogdcn,  First  Wisconsin  Cavalry,  and  will 
fittingly  close  the  chapter  on  Charleston:  — 

CHARLESTON,  SOUTH  CAROLINA. 


Oh,  thou  doomed  city  of  the  evil 'seed,* 

Long  nursed  by  baneful  passion's  heated  breath  I 

Now  bursts  the  germ,  and  lo,  the  evil  deed 
Invites  the  sword  of  war,  the  stroke  of  death  I 

Suns  smile  on  thee,  and  yet  thou  smilest  not ; 

Thy  fame,  thy  fashion  are  alike  forgot. 

Consumption  festers  in  thy  inmost  heart ; 

The  shirt  of  Nessus  fouls  thy  secret  part. 

II. 

Lo,  in  thy  streets  —  thy  boast  in  other  days  — 

Grim  silence  sits,  and  rancorous  weeds  arise ! 
No  joyous  mirth,  nor  hymns  of  grateful  praise, 
Greet  human  ears  nor  court  the  upper  skies; 
But  deadly  pallor,  and  a  fearful  looking  for 
The  hand  of  vengeance  and  the  sword  of  war. 
Thy  prayer  is  answered,  and  around,  above, 
The  wrath  of  God  and  man  doth  hourly  move. 

*  The  doctrine  of  State  Rights  as  taught  by  John  G.  Calhoun. 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  171 

/ 

III. 

Thy  foes  are -in  thy  heart,  and  lie  unseen  ; 

They  drink  thy  life-blood  and  thy  substance  up ; 
And  though  in  pride  thou  usest  to  sit  a  queen, 

Justice  at  last  commands  the  bitter  cup. 
The  blood  of  slaves  upon  thy  skirts  is  found ; 
Their  tears  have  soaked  this  sacrilegious  ground. 
The  chains  that  manacled  their  ebon  arms 
Now  clank  about  thine  own  in  dread  alarms. 

IV. 

Thy  sanctuaries  are  forsaken  now ; 

Dark  mould  and  moss  cling  to  thy  fretted  towers ; 
Deep  rents  and  seams,  where  straggling  lichens  grow, 

And  no  sweet  voice  of  prayer  at  vestal  hours  ; 
But  voice  of  screaming  shot  and  bursting  shell, 
Thy  deep  damnation  and  thy  doom  foretell. 
The  fire  has  left  a  swamp  of  broken  walls, 
Where  night-hags  revel  in  thy  ruined  halls. 

V. 

Oh,  vain  thy  boast,  proud  city,  desolate  ! 

Thy  curses  rest  upon  thy  guilty  head  ! 
In  folly's  madness,  thou  didst  desecrate 

Thy  sacred  vows,  to  holy  Union  wed. 
And  now  behold  the  fruit  of  this  thy  sin : 
Thy  courts  without  overrun,  defiled  within  ; 
Gross  darkness  broods  upon  thy  holy  place ; 
Forsaken  all,  thy  pride  in  deep  disgrace. 

VI. 

Wail,  city  of  the  proud  palmetto-tree ! 

Thy  figs  and  vines  shall  bloom  for  thee  no  more  ! 
Thou  scorn'dst  the  hand  of  God1,  that  made  thee  free, 

In  driving  frremeu  from  their  native  shore. 


172  THE   CAPTURE,   THE  PRISON 

Thy  rivers  still  seek  peacefully  the  sea, 
Yet  bear  no  wealth  on  them,  no  joy  for  thee. 
Thy  isles  look  out  and  bask  beneath  the  sun, 
But  silence  reigns  —  their  Sabbath  is  begun! 

VII. 

Blood!  BLOOD  is  on  thy  skirts,  oh,  city  doomed! 

The  cry  of  vengeance  hath  begirt  thee  round ; 
Here,  where  the  citron  and  the  orange  bloomed, 

God's  curse  rests  on  the  half-forsaken  ground ! 
Thy  treason,  passion-nursed,  is  overgrown  — 
Thy  cup  of  wrath  is  full,  is  overflown. 
Repent,  for  God  can  yet  a  remnant  save, 
But  traitors  and  their  deeds  shall  find  the  grave ! 

Hospital,  Charleston,  S.  C.,  Sept.  25,  1864. 


AND   THE  ESCAPE.  173 


CHAPTER   XI. 

REMOVAL   TO    COLUMBIA. 

EARLY  on  the  morning  of  October  5th,  Captain 
Mobly  of  the  Thirty-second  Georgia  Volunteers 
gave  us  notice  to  prepare  to  remove  to  Columbia, 
the  capital.  In  an  hour's  time  we  were  securely 
packed  in  cattle-cars,  ready  for  a  start.  These 
cattle-cars  deserve  a  little  notice.  They  were  not 
exclusively  cattle-cars,  but  were  used  to  convey 
Union  prisoners  as  well.  One  day  they  would  bo 
loaded  with  cattle,  which  did  not  tend  to  improve 
their  sanitary  condition  to  any  great  extent ;  the 
next  day  —  without  any  policing  —  they  would  bo 
filled  with  barrels  of  sorghum  molasses,  a  few  of 
which  would  be  smashed ;  and  the  next  day  fifty  or 
sixty  Yankees  would  be  crowded  into  each  of  them, 
to  be  jumbled  over  a  southern  railroad  a  hundred 
miles  or  more. 

Ye  who  pursue  pleasure  in  splendid  coaches  along 
our  northern  railroads,  think  of  this,  and  estimate 
the  luxury  of  a  trip  from  Charleston  to  Columbia 
under  such  circumstances.  Our  guard  was  the 
Thirty-second  Georgia  Volunteers,  to  whom  too 
much  credit  cannot  be  given  for  their  uniform  kind 
ness  and,  courtesv. 


'.J74  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON  PEN, 

The  Georgia  troops  seemed  to  be  by  far  the  most 
civil  and  gentlemanly  of  the  southern  army.  They 
were  the  most  respectable  in  appearance,  most  in 
telligent  and  liberal  in  conversation,  and  most  fully 
recognized  the  principle  that  a  man  is  a  man  under 
whatever  circumstances  he  may  be  placed,  and  is 
entitled  to  humane  treatment.  They  very  generally 
addressed  the  prisoners  as  "  gentlemen." 

It  is  refreshing  to  find  occasion  to  notice  some 
thing  commendable  in  those  who  were  so  almost 
universally  tyrannical  and  cruel. 

Our  journey  was  marked  with  no  features  of 
peculiar  interest,  as  the  country  through  which  we 
passed  was  a  barren  and  sandy  tract,  with  no  vege 
tation  to  meet  the  weary  eye,  save  occasionally  a 
small  patch  of  cotton,"  and  sometimes  sugar-cane 
growing  by  the  roadside. 

We  were  about  fourteen  hours  on  the  way,  and 
arrived  at  Columbia,  in  the  midst  of  a  terrific  rain 
storm,  without  food,  blankets,  or  a  necessary  amount 
of  clothing.  We  were  compelled  to  vacate  our 
quarters  in  the  cars,  and  take  up  with  such  as  were 
provided  us  by  the  Confederate  officers  in  command, 
to  wit :  none  at  all. 

We  were  closely  guarded,  and  one  of  our  number, 
Lieutenant  H.  L.  Clark,  Second  Massachusetts  Ar 
tillery,  received  a  serious  wound  in  the  back  by  a 
bayonet  in  the  hands  of  one  of  the  sentinels,  for 
attempting  to  take  a  small  loaf  of  bread  offered  him 
joy  a  sympathizing  citizen. 

We  remained  in  an  open  field  on  "  Bridge  Street " 


ANSI    THE   ESCAPE.  175 

'during  the  night,  suffering  from  hunger,  without 
blankets,  tents,  or  any  conveniences  for  comfort, 
at  the  mercy  of  the  elements,  with  four  pieces  of 
artillery  trained  upon  the  ground  which  we  occu 
pied. 

It  was  just  before  this  that  Alexander  II.  Ste- 
ihens,  their  Vice-President,  inaugurated  his  peace 
novement,  and  the  Rebels  expressed  great  anxiety 
br  a  knowledge  of  the  result.  They  were  anxious 
br  peace,  and  hoped  the  movement  would  terminate 
n  a  settlement  of  their  difficulties  on  a  basis  satis- 
actory  to  the  interests  of  the  southern  people. 
2ver  loud-mouthed  and  boastful,  they  still  had  mis 
givings  as  to  the  result,  and  eagerly  caught  at  any 
orospect  of  a  settlement. 

COLUMBIA. 

This  capital  city  of  the  first  State  to  raise  the 
dark  hand  of  treason  against  the  American  Union, 
IMS  a  population  of  from  twenty  to  thirty  thousand 
nhabitants,  and  is  one  of  the  finest  in  the  State.  It 
s  handsomely  situated  on  the  Congarce  River,  one 
mudred  and  twenty-five  miles  from  the  sea,  cover- 
ng  a  gentle  slope  of  ground  which  overlooks  the 
lurrounding  country  for  a  distance  of  from  twenty 
o  thirty  miles,  and  it  is  equidistant  from  Charleston 
ind  Wilmington,  North  Carolina,  on  the  line  of  the 
South-Carolina  Central  Railroad. 

It  is  regularly  laid  out,  its  streets  crossing  each 

ther  at  right  angles;  some  aie  wide  and  planted 

with  handsome  trees,  among  which  are  found  the 


176  THE    CAPTURE,   THE   PRISON  PEN", 

Palmetto,  which  is  familiar  to  all,  as  it  was  repre« 
sentecl  upon  the  first  flag  raised  as  a  signal  of  war 
in  opposition  to  the  laws  of  our  country. 

Except  in  the  busy,  commercial  parts  of  the  town, 
the  houses  are  surrounded  with 'gardens,  crowded 
with  shrubs  and  flowers  of  all  kinds ;  each  estab 
lishment  being  generally  encircled  with  hedges  of 
hawthorn,  interspersed  with  a  luxuriant  growth 
of  roses. 

The  dwellings,  which  stand  amid  these  beautiful 
pleasure  grounds,  are  built  of  many  different  forms. 
Those  of  wood  are  usually  painted  white. 

To  the  Southerner,  this  lovely  place,  during  the 
war,  has  been  one  of  perfect  safety.  It  being  the 
farthest  of  any  from  the  lines  of  our  advancing 
armies,  and  free  from  attack  by  our  ever-watchful 
navy,  many  have  flocked  here  from  all  parts  of  the 
Confederacy,  where  they  might  be  beyond  the  reach 
of  the  dread  sounds  of  war. 

The  Confederate  government,  influenced  by  the 
thought  of  impending  danger,  moved  its  treasury 
from  the  city  of  Richmond  to  this  place,  fearing 
that  the  Union  army  might  make  an  inroad  into  its 
capital,  and  destroy  its  worthless  currency. 

The  public  buildings  are  of  magnificent  structure. 
The  Capitol,  or  State  House,  occupies  a  command 
ing  position  near  the  centre  of  the  town.  The 
grounds  adjoining  are  adorned  with  beautiful  walks 
and  avenues. 

The  military  acadenry,  court  house,  and  its 
church  edifices  are  built  in  splendid  style.  AVith 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  177 

all  the  beauty  and  magnificence  combined  to  make 
these  buildings  grand  to  look  upon,  there  yet  re 
mains  connected  with  their  history  the  memory 
of  the  dark  deeds  perpetrated  within  their  walls, 
which  resulted  in  the  secession  of  the  Palmetto 
State  from  our  great  and  glorious  Union.  Here  it 
was  that  the  first  steps  were  taken,  which  placed 
South  Carolina  foremost .  in  the  ranks  of  those 
States  wrhich  afterwards  adopted  the  ordinance  of 
secession. 

Although  co-operation  had  been  urged  by  many 
leading  men  of  the  South,  among  whom  were  Mr. 
Rhett,  long  conspicuous  in  the  councils  of  the  State, 
and  Mr.  Trenholm,  afterwards  a  member  of  the 
Confederate  cabinet,  yet  the  fiery  devotees  of  slav 
ery  forced  their  opinions,  and  controlled  the  public 
feeling,  until  a  convention  was  called,  which  met  ou 
the  20th  of  December,  I860,  when  South  Carolina 
launched  forth  upon  a  sea,  above  whose  tranquil 
bosom  brooded  a  pent-up  storm,  dark  and  tremen 
dous,  which,  when  it  burst  fo^th'  from  its  deathly 
silence,  drenched  her  soil  with  the  blood  of  her 
own  sons,  and  scathed  and  blackened  her  as  with 
fire  from  heaven,  carried  all  away  who  had  em 
barked  upon  its  alluring  surface,  and  dashed  in 
one  final  wreck  the  frail  structure  upon  which 
this  unrighteous  and  unjust  government  was  to  be 
formed. 

She  entered  upon  a  struggle  which  has  devas 
tated  her  lovely  fields  and  finest  cities,  depopu 
lated  many  of  her  most  flourishing  towrs,  and 


178  THE    rsiPTURE,   THE  PRISON 

reduced  her  inhabitants  to  poverty,  degradation* 
and  despair. 

By  this  deed,  thousands  of  America's  honored 
sons,  while  battling  nobly  for  the  maintenance  of 
right,  have  been  sacrificed  —  making  the  fields  of 
the  South  run  red  with  blood. 

But  it  has  terminated  in  the  complete  overthrow 
of  the  foundation  upon  which  these  southern  leaders 
attempted  to  rear  their  government,  and  in  the 
destruction  of  that  evil  which  had  so  long  stained 
our  nation's  honor.  Oh,  Columbia !  the  pride  of 
the  South,  thou  hast  passed  through  the  fierce  and 
bloody  struggle  without  sharing  in  the  general  ruin 
which  follows  the  footsteps  of  war.  Although 
many  of  your  hearth-stones  have  been  made  deso 
late,  your  beauty  and  magnificence  yet  remain. 

May  your  people  profit  by  the  sad  lot  of  other 
cities,  and  no  longer  invite  destruction  by  fanning 
the  flames  of  treason,  and  urging  its  cruel  cham 
pions  onward. 

As  soon  as  the  storm  had  abated,  which  raged 
violently  from  the  time  we  reached  Columbia,  corn- 
meal  and  sorghum  molasses  were  issued  to  us  in 
small  quantities,  and  then  we  were  moved  from  our 
camp  on  Bridge  Street  to  the  south  side  of  the 
Congaree,  about  two  miles  from  the  city,  and,  like 
Nebuchadnezzar  of  old,  turned  out  to  grass. 

Sorghum  cane  grows  in  large  quantities  in  South 
Carolina,  and  from  it  a  kind  of  molasses  is  made 
wliich  entirely  out-does  the  blackest  and  dirtiest 
cane  molasses.  Corn-meal  cakes  and  sorghum 


AND    THE   ESCAPE. 


179 


molasses  will  act  as  a  cathartic  on  the  strongest 
stomach,  and  to  one  already  afflicted  with  chronic 
diarrhoea  they  were  about  as  nourishing  as  a  steady 
diet  of  epsorn  salts. 


8 


THE    CAPTURE*    THE  PRISON  PEtf, 


CHAPTER   XII. 


COLUMBIA,  SOUTH  CAROLINA "  CAMP  SORGHUM." 


AN  attempt  was  made  yesterday  by  the  authori 
ties  to  persuade  us  to  take  our  paroles,  in  order  that 
we  might  enjoy  the  privileges  of  an  open  field. 
"We  were  threatened  with  confinement  in  some  old 
tobacco  houses  in  case  we  did  not  comply  with  their 
wishes  ;  but  we  sternly  refused  to  accept  their  base 
proposition,  and  utterly  disregarded  their  threats, 
knowing  that  our  condition  could  be  made  no  worse 
by  the  change. 

It  may  seem  strange  to  some  that  these  paroles 
were  not  accepted.  Our  reasons  for  not  accepting 
them  were  these  :  1st.  They  prevented  our  escap 
ing,  and  this  was  the  thought  nearest  our  hearts. 
2d.  We  thought  the  punishment  threatened  rather 
more  endurable  than  our  condition  when  not  under 
punishment. 

They  stated  that  they  would  confine  us  in  some 
old  tobacco  houses,  if  we  did  not  comply.  Now, 
we  considered  confinement  in  any  kind  of  a  building 
more  desirable  than  lying  on  the  ground,  without 
covering,  during  the  damp  chilly  nights,  exposed  to 
the  wind  and  storm. 

For  some  reason  unknown  to  us,  we  were  not 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  181 

•Amoved  from  this  place  into  the  tobacco  houses ; 
ftut  a  guard  and  "  dead-line "  were  established ;  and 
in  the  open  field,  with  no  covering  save  the  broad 
canopy  of  heaven,  our  band  numbering  upwards  of 
fifteen  hundred  men  was  obliged  to  remain. 

After  many  unsuccessful  attempts  to  get  a  news 
paper,  I  at  last,  by  bribing  one  of  our  guards, 
secured  a  copy  of  the  "South  Carolinian, "a  weekly 
sheet  published  in  the  city,  from  which  I  learned 
the  position  of  the  Union  army  under  the  gallant 
Sherman. 

A  DAY  OF  JOY. 

October  8.  —  This  day  was  one  .of  joy  and  thanks 
giving.  Our  hearts  were  made  glad,  and  our  hopes 
brighter,  by  the  receipt  of  clothing,  and  many  other 
articles  of  comfort  sent  to  us  from  the  North  by  that 
ever-beneficent  organization,  the  Sanitary  Commis 
sion. 

Those  of  our  number  who  were  the  most  needy 
were  supplied  with  such  articles  as  the  authorities 
saw  fit  to  allow  them,  which  to  some  degree  alle 
viated  their  sufferings,  and  made  life  somewhat 
sweeter.  It  was  my  happy  lot  to  get  a  towel  and 
an  undershirt.  The  lasf-mentioned  article  was  of 
great  value  to  me,  as  more  than  three  months  had 
passed  since  I  had  had  a  change.  Notwithstanding 
the  distribution  of  clothing,  many  were  without 
shoes,  stockings,  shirts,  and  coats  —  dying  by  inches 
for  want  of  some  protection  from  the  inclement 
weather.  They  submitted  to  their  fate,  however 


182  THE    CAPTURE,   THE   PE7SON  PEN, 

trusting  in  the  Government  and  the  ability  of  their 
country  to  save  them  before  they  finally  perished. 

THE    TEST   ELECTION* 

October  16.  —  Our  prison  pen  had  been  remarka 
bly  quiet  for  six  or  eight  days,  nothing  having 
transpired  among  the  prisoners  to  cause  any  excite 
ment,  and  we  were  fast  falling  into  a  state  of  mel 
ancholy  sadness,  when,  in  view  of  the  approaching 
presidential  election,  it  was  suggested  that  we  vote 
upon  the  subject  ourselves.  The  idea  was  approved 
by  most  of  our  number,  as.  it  was  also  by  the  Rebels  ; 
for  they  wished  to  get  an  expression  of  the  prevail 
ing  sentiment  among  us,  that  they  might  the  better 
judge  of  the  feeling  that  pervaded  the  people  of 
the  North.  There  were  men  among  us  from  every 
State  in  the  Union,  and  they  naturally  inferred  that 
a  vote  in  our  camp  would  be  an  index  of  the  vote 
at  the  North.  Accordingly  they  urged  the  thing 
on,  and  promised  to  publish  the  result  in  the  city 
papers, — though  when  they  saw  what  the  result 
was,  they  hastily  changed  their  minds,  and  no  men 
tion  was  made  of  our  election. 

Many  warm  and  even  violent  discussions  had 
taken  place  for  a  number  of  days  among  the  prison 
ers,  and  political  spirit  ran  so  high  that  they  could 
not  wait  till  election  day.  The  vote  was  taken  by 
States  at  the  quarters  of  the  senior  officer  of  each 
State,  and  the  results  sent  in  to  the  general  office. 
"Written  ballots  were  used  which  were  handed  to  the 
officer,  and  by  him  deposited  in  an  old  meal  bag, 


AND   THE  ESCAPE.  183 

which  served  as  a  ballot-box.  A  bulletin-board 
and  telegraph-office  were  established,  and  sham 
telegrams  were  published  from  the  different  States, 
especially  New  Jersey. 

I  cast  my  vote  for  Abraham  Lincoln,  as  did  my 
messmates,  Hampton  and  Richardson,  deeply  re 
gretting  that  it  was  my  sad  lot  to  be  denied  the 
privilege  of  doing  so  where  it  might  count  for  some 
good.  At  six  o'clock  P.  M.  the  counting  was  fin 
ished,  the  result  being  ten  hundred  and  twenty-four 
votes  for  Lincoln,  and  one  hundred  and  forty-three 
for  McClellan. 

This  was  the  expression  of  feeling  and  opinion 
among  men  who  had  been  deprived  of  all  the  com 
mon  comforts  of  life,  half  starved,  with  nothing 
but  dirty  rags  hanging  to  their  emaciated  limbs  to 
protect  their  bodies  from  the  cold,  wasting  away  by 
hunger  and  exposure,  yet  would  not  favor  a  peace 
degrading  to  their  country's  honor. 

Cheer  upon  cheer  arose  from  our  feeble  voices, 
and  resounded  through  our  prison  yard,  upon  the 
announcement,  making  the  McClellanites,  who  had 
been  very  confident  of  the  succcess  of  their  candi 
date,  look  crest-fallen  and  disappointed. 

The  Confederates  understood  the  significance  of 
the  re-election  of  Mr.  Lincoln  full  well.  They 
knew  it  would  be  impossible  to  free  themselves  from 
the  serpent  into  whose  coils  they  had  been  drawn ; 
but  that  they  must  fight  for  a  cause  that  originated 
in  sin,  that  was  nurtured  in  iniquity,  and  that  must 
perish  in  infamy  and  disgrace. 


184  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON 

The  Rebel  officers  had  continually  misrepresented 
the  Federal  administration  to  the  prisoners  ;  and  as 
we  had  no  means  by  which  to  refute  the  arguments 
of  these  wily  secessionists,  except  the  firm  Confi 
dence  in  our  government,  our  souls  were  filled  with 
joy  and  gladness  by  this  favorable  result  of  our 
impromptu  election. 

"  The  song  of  war  shall  echo  through  the  mountains 
Till  not  one  hateful  link  remains 
Of  slavery's  lingering  chains ; 
Till  not  one  tyrant  treads  our  plains, 
Nor  traitor  lips  pollute  our  fountains." 

*  AN   ESCAPE. 

October  18.  — Our  camp  was  to-day  thrown  into 
a  state  of  wild  excitement,  owing  to  the  escape  of 
three  prisoners,  who  ran  the  guard  and  made  tow 
ards  "  God's  country."  Several  shots  were  fired  at 
them  as  they  passed  the  outer  line,  but  without 
doing  them  any  injury,  and  they  passed  out  in  stifety. 
The  entire  guard  was  aroused.  The  men  flew  to 
arms,  the  artillerymen  to  their  guns.  The  Rebel 
officers,  calling  loudly  to  their  men  to  fall  in,  could 
be  distinctly  heard  at  my  quarters,  making  mo 
tremble  for  the  fate  of  the  brave  men  who,  risking 
life,  were  trying  to  make  their  escape  from  this  den 
of  miserv.  After  the  occurrence  of  this  affair,  our 
guard  was  doubled,  and  orders  given  to  the  senti 
nels  to  shoot  down  every  prisoner  who  should  iu 
any  manner  approach  the  "dead-line."  This  action 
on  the  part  of  the  Confederates  did  not,  however, 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  185 

intimidate  us  in  the  least ;  for  we  well  kne  »v  if  com 
pelled  to  remain  there,  in  the  condition  we  were 
then  in,  that  death  would  surely  overtake  us;  and 
to  die  in  the  attempt  to  free  ourselves  from  the 
grasp  of  heartless  tyrants  would  be  no  worse  than 
starvation. 

My  plan  for  escape  was  not  in  the  least  discon 
certed  by  this  movement  of  the  Rebels ;  on  the 
contrary,  my  determination  to  be  free  was  mor,e 
fixed  in  my  mind,  and  I  continued  the  preparations 
for -a  leave-taking  of  Columbia  and  the  hated  Prison 
Pen,  "Camp  Sorghum." 

After  two  days  had  passed,  and  no  tidings  were 
received  from  our  friends,  we  began  to  feel  that 
they  must  have  escaped  the  vigilance  of  Rebel 
search.  There  was  general  rejoicing  at  their  escape, 
and  we  worked  ourselves  into  a  state  of  feverish 
excitement  over  their  success  in  passing  the  w  dead 
line."  Our  plrysical  debility  rendered  us  more 
intensely  susceptible  to  excitement,  and  yet  there  is 
something  about  watching  the  progress  of  an  escape 
from  prison  that  will  excite  the  most  unimpassioned. 

We  looked  upon  their  success  as  an  index  of  what 
our  own  might  be,  should  we  make  a  similar  at 
tempt.  And  besides  this,  I  trust  we  had  higher 
motives  to  awaken  interest.  Although  often  repre- 
hensibly  selfish  in  matters  that  did  not  materially 
affect  their  lives  and  safety,  our  soldiers  could  still 
rejoice  as  thoroughly  at  the  successful  escape  of  a 
fellow-prisoner  as  though  the  good  fortune  had  been 
their  own.  Many  prayers  were  offered  that  a  kind 


186  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON  PEN, 

Providence  would  guide  them  safely  through  dark 
ness  and  doubt  to  the  Federal  lines,  and  the  most 
enthusiastic  expressions  of  joy  were  manifested  by 
all  who  had  strength  to  rejoice. 

The  jubilation  was  somewhat  quickened,  I  mis 
trust,  by  the  satisfaction  it  afforded  us  to  know  that 
the  Rebel  guards  had  been  outwitted,  and  that 
Yankees  could  make  their  way  through  the  heart  of 
the  Confederacy  without  being  recaptured. 

But  our  gratulations  were  brought  to  a  melan 
choly  sequel.  It  seems,  that  for  every  prisoner  who 
escapes  to  safety,  some  comrade  must  be  sacrificed 
of  those  who  remained.  There  came,  in  the  midst 
of  our  rejoicings,  the  sad  and  whispered  intelligence, 

A   PRISONER   SHOT. 

Lieutenant  Young  of  the  Fourth  Pennsylvania 
Cavalry,  was  shot  down  in  cold  blood,  by  one  of  the 
sentinels,  while  conversing  with  some  fellow-officers, 
near  a  small  fire.  He  only  survived  the  shot  a  few 
moments.  This  occurred  about  ten  o'clock  on  tho 
evening  of  October  20th. 

No  reason  for  this  atrocity  was  apparent,  and  none 
was  offered  by  our  guards.  It  was  another  added 
to  the  already  long  list  of  cruel,  heartless  murders 
perpetrated  in  southern  prisons.  We  were  over 
come  with  grief  at  the  report,  for  Lieutenant  Young 
was  a  brave  man,  a  fine  officer,  a  pleasant  companion, 
and  withal,  had  for  a  long  time  been  a  suffering 
friend. 

Thus  'another  noble  spirit  was  ushered  into  the 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  187 

presence  of  its  Maker,  sent  thithei  by  the  brutal 
hand  of  a  murderer. 

Were  they  men,  and  suffer  such  conduct?  had 
they  been  taught  the  principles  of  love  and  justice, 
which  are  given  to  all  in  the  great  Book  of  Books? 
had  they  any  sense  of  humanity  in  their  bosoms? 
No,  the  foul  fiend  of  darkness  possessed  and  influ 
enced  their  thoughts.  ]STot  satisfied  with  depriving 
men  of  the  necessary  food  to  sustain  life,  they  shot 
down  our  defenceless  comrades  like  dogs,  without  a 
shudder  at  the  heinousness  of  the  crime. 

How  long,  oh  God !  how  long  will  such  fearful 
atrocities  be  allowed  ? 

LONG   LIVE    THE    DUTCHMAN. 

A  German  captain  was  sent  by  the  authorities, 
not  long  since,  to  take  command  of  the  prison.  'He 
was  a  pompous  individual,  and  did  things  generally 
on  the  "  spread-eagle  "  style. 

As  soon  as  he  arrived,  we  were  ordered  into  line 
to  listen  to  a  speech  from  the  new  commandant. 
Everything  was  conducted  with  accurate  regard  to 
military  precision,  and  just  at  the  right  moment  our 
Teutonic  orator  stepped  forward,  and  delivered  the 
following  oration  :  — 

"  Shentlernens, — I  comes  to  take  command  of 
you.  I've  been  a  brisoner  mem  selif.  Your  peo 
ples  treats  me  like  shentlemens,  —  I  treats  you  like 
ehentlemcns.  Break  ranks!  March!!"  x 

There  was  a  general  burst  of  laughter  among  the 
prisoners,  and  cries  of  "Long  live  the  Dutchman." 
8* 


188  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON  PEN", 

A  few  days  after  he  got  drunk  and  was  removed, 
and  thus  our  hopes  of  making  game  of  the  Dutch 
man  came  to  an  unseemly  end. 

From  the  time  we  left  Charleston  the  weather  had 
been  exceedingly  cold  and  disagreeable,  and  no" 
tongue  can  tell  or  pen  describe  the  sufferings  of  the 
brave  men  confined  there.  The  want  of  clothing 
made  their  bodies  more  susceptible  to  cold,  and 
many  were  dying  daily  of  diseases  contracted  from 
exposure  to  the  sun  and  storm,  and  from  a  constant 
diet  of  coarse  and  unwholesome  food. 

THOUGHTS   OF  HOME. 

Under  such  circumstances  it  was  our  custom  to 
lie  down  after  taking  our  night's  meal,  not  to  sleep, 
but  to  talk  over  the  incidents  of  our  boyhood  days, 
and  the  events  of  our  lives.  Thoughts  of  home, 
and  the  friends  gathered  around  loved  firesides, 
came  crowding  upon  us ;  memory  dwelt  with  cling 
ing  interest  on  scenes  that  might  never  be  repeated  ; 
imagination  feasted  herself  on  pictures  that  might 
never  prove  a  reality,  and  thus  the  long  night  was 
wearied  through  until  the  stars  were  growing  dim 

~  o  O 

in  the  light  of  approaching  day,  when  we  sought  that 
rest  which  our  exhausted  systems  so  much  needed. 

There  were  but  few  persons  among  us  who  had 
ever  been  compelled  to  suffer  such  privations  and 
hardships.  Most  of  them,  before  entering  the  army, 
had  been  clerks  behind  the  counter,  students  at 
Bchool,  or  wrell-to-do  mechanics.  Some  were  sol 
diers  by  profession,  and  many  were  sons  of  wealthy 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  189 


men,  who  had  never  known  anything  but  pleasure, 
and  had  always  taken  life  easy.  But  all,  through 
the  common  impulses  of  their  natures,  and  the  pat 
riotism  ever  burning  in  the  loyal  American  heart, 
had  offered  their  services  to  their  bleeding  and  dis 
tracted  country,  to  assist  in  subduing  the  element  of 
discontent  at  the  South,  and  the  foulest  and  most 
unwarrantable  rebellion  against  just  and  proper  au 
thority,  ever  known  within  the  annals  of  time. 

As  to  their  fate,  many  were  thoughtless  and  in 
different,  some  were  distrustful  of  our  Government, 
and  its  intentions  to  liberate  them ;  but  few  were 
without  hope  of  approaching  succor,  and  depending 
upon  the  mercies  of  an  all-wise  and  overruling 
Providence,  we  made  the  best  of  o.ur  miserable 
condition. 

I  did  not  intend  to  remain  in  "  durance  vile  "  a 
great  while  longer ;  but  upon  the  first  favorable  op 
portunity  to  take  my  flight,  with  some  one  or  two 
of  my  friends,  if  they  chose  to  go  with  me ;  if  not, 
I  should  risk  my  life  alone.  I  did  not  think  any 
of  my  companions  would  refuse  an  offer  to  accom 
pany  me,  if  I  should  propose  a  plan  which  presented 
any  chances  of  success.  I  kept  my  own  counsel, 
however,  and  when  the  time  should  arrive,  I  would 
cautiously  make  my  intentions  known  to  those  I 
wished  to  have  accompany  me,  and  then  set  out 
together.  As  the  days  came  and  went,  our  suffer 
ings  increased. 

The  season  being  far  advanced,  the  cold  night  air 
chilled  us  through,  and  the  stars,  from  their  lofty 


190  THE    CAPTURE,    THE  PEISON 

stations  in  the  heavens,  shone  upon  us  clear  and 
cold,  while  the  moon  reflected  its  pale,  silvery  light 
upon  our  palid  faces,  making  us  look  doubly  hag 
gard  and  ghost-like. 

ALLOWED   TO   GET  WOOD  BY  TAKING  A  PAttOLE. 

The  prison  authorities  adopted  a  rule  of  allowing 
a  certain  number  each  day  to  pass  outside  the  prison 
limits,  for  the  purpose  of  backing  in  such  quantities 
of  wood  as  we  could  carry.  This  privilege  wras 
granted  to  such  as  would  give  their  paroles  not  to 
attempt  an  escape. 

The  following  was  the  nature  of  the  parole  issued  : 

CONFEDERATE  STATES  MILITARY  PRISON,? 
COLUMBIA,  S.  C.,  October  — ,  1864.      $ 

I, ,  prisoner  of  war,  confined  near  the  city  of 

Columbia,  S.  C.,  Confederate  States  of  America,  do  pledge 
my  parole,  as  a  military  man,  and  a  man  of  honor,  that  I 
will  not  attempt  to  escape  from  the  prison  authorities,  nor 
pass  beyond  the  prison  limits  more  than  three-quarters  of  a 
mile,  and  that  at  the  expiration  of  the  time  named  in  the 
parole,  I  will  return  promptly  to  the  adjutant's  office  and 
have  the  same  revoked. 

It  is  understood  by  me  that  this  parole  is  voluntary  on  my 
part,  and  that  it  is  given  with  a  view  to  securing  privileges 
which  cannot  otherwise  be  obtained. 
(Signed) 

"We  were  all  very  glad  of  the  opportunity  of  doing 
something  whereby  the  material  could  be  procured 
for  making  a  fire.  Many  accepted  the  offer,  and 
went  out  to  bring  in  what  they  could  pick  up  in  the 
shape  of  dry  twigs,  broken  branches  of  trees  and 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  191 

bark.  It  was  a  sad  sight  to  see  us  filing  along  under 
guard,  picking  up  what  we  could  carry,  and  return 
ing  with  our  loads  upon  our  backs. 

Some  of  the  men  were  so  weak  that  tliey  became 
as  helpless  as  a  child,  and  had  to  be  carried  back  to 
camp  in  a  state  of  utter  exhaustion  and  insensibility. 
In  trying  to  help  themselves,  they  overtaxed  their 
remaining  strength,  which,  brought  on  fevers  and 
delirium,  from  the  effects  of  which  many  died. 

I  profited,  however,  by  the  arrangement ;  for  not 
only  a  sufficient  quantity  of  wood  was  procured  to 
last  me  and  my  mess  two  days,  but  in  carefully  ex 
amining  the  plan  of  our  pen,  and  the  system  by 
which  it  was  guarded,  I  obtained  and  added  to  my 
small  store  of  knowledge  much  valuable  information 
concerning  the  surrounding  country.  All  of  which, 
at  some  future  day,  then  not  far  distant,  would  be 
put  to  good  use. 

I  was  not  by  any  means  the  only  one  to  profit  l>y 
these  explorations.  Others,  as  much  on  the  alert  as 
myself  for  adventure,  conceived  plans  whereby  the/ 
effected  an  escape ;  but  unfortunately,  after  a  few 
days  had  passed,  were  generally  recaptured  and 
thrown  into  county  jails. 

They  had  the  satisfaction,  during  their  absence, 
of  getting  some  corn-bread  and  bacon  of  the  faith 
ful  negroes,  out  of  which  they  could  make  at  least 
a  few  good  meals ;  and  this  alone  was  enough  to 
compensate  for  the  attempt. 

Every  soldier  knows  that  the  times  when  he  suc 
ceeded  in  getting  "  good  square  meal*,"  as  they  were 


192  THE   CAP1URE,    THE  PRISON  PENy 

called,  were  epochs  in  his  military  history,  —  so 
much  are  men  the  slaves  of  their  wants. 

MY   OLD   SHOES 

Being  badly  worn,  I  took  them  to  the  "camp  cob 
bler  "  to  be  repaired.  He  gave  me  no  encourage 
ment,  but  said  they  were  past  redemption,  auchcould 
not  be  improved. 

How  could  I  travel  barefoot  through  the  hot 
burning  sand  of  the  highway,  the  stone-covered 
fields,  or  the  dreary  swamps?  I  mu'st  have  some 
covering  for  my  feet,  and  at  once  set  about  prepar 
ing  something  myself. 

By  dint  of  good  luck,  I  obtained  the  rim  of  an 
old  worn-out  regulation  hat,  from  which  I  cut  some 
inner  soles,  and  by  tying  the  outer  sole  to  the  up 
pers  with  a  piece  of  cord,  made  them  appear  no 
worse,  and  added  largely  to  their  worth  and  dura 
bility  ;  thus  my  feet  were  protected  from  the  heat 
and  cold. 

In  making  aru  escape  it  is  absolutely  necessary 
that  there  be  suitable  protection  for  the  feet,  and 
even  under  the  most  destitute  circumstances  all  such 
contingencies  had  to  be  provided  for. 

During  the  last  two  weeks  of  my  stay  at  Colum 
bia,  the  nights  had  become  so  cold  that  we  did  not 
think  of  lying  down,  but  would  walk  around  the 
camp  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  the  bl  )od  in  circu 
lation  and  to  prevent  chilling. 

When  the  sun  rose  in  the  morning,  and  not  till 
then,  would  we  stretch  ourselves  on  the  ground  to 


AND   THE  ESCAPE.  193 

sleep,  the  heat  from  its  rays  warming  ns  and  keeping 
us  warmed  while  locked  in  the  arms  of  Morpheus. 
T\Te  literally  turned  night  into  day  and  day  into 
night.  Those  who  have  lived  in  northern  latitudes 
know  how  disagreeable  it  is  to  be  so  situated  as  to 
be  obliged  to  exercise  continually  in  order  to  keep 
from  chilling.  It  may  be  endurable  for  a  few 
hours,  but  one  after  a  time  Jbecomes  weary  of  it. 
But  our  lack  of  clothing  was  such  that  we  had  to  be 
on  the  alert  during  the  whole  night,  — and  that 
night  after  night. 

November  &,  1864. — This  eventful  day  was  one 
of  intense  excitement  and  anxiety  with  us,  as  it  was 
to  decide  who  should  be  our  chief  magistrate  for  the 
next  four  years.  We  felt  satisfied  that  the  election 
would  result  in  placing  Mr.  Lincoln,  our  then  re 
spected  President,  in  the  chair  which  for  the  past 
four  years  he  had  filled  with  so  much  credit  to  him 
self  and  honor  to  the  nation ;  and  yet  an  almost 
certain  election  has  its  excitement,  and  the  certainty 
cannot  be  an  absolute  certainty  until  the  last  vote  is 
cast.  We  would  rather  h^e  known  the  result  than 
believed  it. 

EXCHANGE   RUMOKS. 

We  were  also  notified  by  the  prison  authorities 
that  a  general  exchange  of  prisoners  would  take 
place  on  the  20th.  Captain  Hatch,  the  Rebel  com 
missioner  of  exchange,  was  there ;  and  it  was  ru 
mored  about  camp  that  a  large  portion  of  our 
number  would  be  taken  to  Savannah  immediately, 


194  THE   CAPTURE,    THE   PRISON  PEN, 

causing  great  excitement.  The  "fresh  fish,"  espe 
cially,  were  in  excellent  humor  over  what  they 
styled  glorious  good  news.  The  old  prisoners  were 
not  inclined,  however,  to  be  very  jubilant  over  the 
announcement,  as  they  had  many  times  before  been 
duped  and  deceived  by  the  practical  infamy  of  the 
Confederates.  And  it  was  very  well  that  we  put 
no  faith  in  such  loose  reports,  for  at  this  time,  as  on 
many  other  occasions  when  such  rumors  were  circu 
lated,  nothing  official  had  been  received. 

"Hope  comes  again  to  the  heart,  long  a  stranger; 
Once  more  she  sings  me  her  flattering  strain  ; 
But  hush,  gentle  siren  !  for,  ah  !  there's  less  danger 
In  still  suffering   on  than  in  hoping  again," 

The  Rebels  always  took  advantage  of  the  natural 
despondency  following  so  much  excitement,  to  en 
deavor  to  persuade  the  prisoners  to  believe  that 
our  government  cared  nothing  for  our  suffering,  and 
would  use  every  other  means  at  their  command  to 
cause  us  to  lose  confidence  in  the  Federal  author 
ities  and  the  commanding  officers  of  our  army. 
They  miserably  failed  in  their  endeavors  to  extin 
guish  the  fire  of  patriotism  burning  in  our  bosoms, 
by  such  contemptible  misrepresentations,  and  only 
added  to  the  bitter  hate  in  which  we  looked  upon 
these  vile  traitors  and  inhuman  wretchec  who 
guarded  and  starved  us. 

CAUGHT   BY   HOUNDS. 

Many   of   the    recently-escaped    prisoners   were 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  195 

brought  back  to  us  about  these  times,  most  of  whom 
were  caught  by  hounds.  Lieutenant  Parker  was  so 
lacerated  that  he  died  the  next  clay  after  his  capture. 
On  the  7th  inst.  Lieutenant  J.  Clement,  of  tho 
Fifteenth  Kentucky  Cavalry,  was  captured  by  a 
Rebel  living  but  a  short  distance  from  Chapel's 
Ferry,  South  Carolina.  After  he  had  surrendered 
the  dogs  were  let  loose  on  him ;  and  thus  he  was  so 
seriously  injured  as  to  be  disabled  for  a  long  time. 

I  should  have  made  my  escape  on  the  fourth,  had 
not  my  health  been  so  delicate  that  I  could  not  have 
walked  out  of  camp,  even  had  the  road  been  clear. 
I  had  been  suffering  very  much  from  camp  diseases, 
and  was  so  weak  as  to  be  unable  to  walk  without 
the  aid  of  a  friend. 

Near  the  12th  of  November  rumors  reached  us  that 
General  Sherman  had  left  Atlanta,  and  was  mov 
ing  through  Georgia  in  three  columns.  It  was  cur 
rently  reported  that  he  would  occupy  Augusta. 
The  "  great  general 's  "  movements  were  little  un 
derstood  by  the  Rebels  ;  they  were  greatly  alarmed, 
and  began  concentrating  their  forces  at  Augusta. 

DRAWING   MEAT   RATIONS   AT   CAMP   SORGHUM. 

About  this  time  quite  an  amusing  scene  enlivened 
our  camp.  An  old  wild  hog  chanced  to  pass  the 
guard  line ;  and  as  soon  as  he  came  within  range  of 
the  prisoners,  a  general  advance  was  made  and  he  was 
ours.  But  a  few  moments  elapsed  after  his  entrance 
among  us  before  no  traces  of  his  carcase  could  bo 
found.  From  fourk  five  hundred  half-starved  men 


196  THE    CAPTURE,    THE   PRISON 

gave  him  a  most  hearty  welcome.  "He  was  a 
stranger  and  they  took  him  in,"  in  more  senses  than 
one.  One  seized  a  leg,  another  an  ear,  and  another 
his  tail ;  and  as.  many  as  his  dusky  exterior  would 
accommodate  twisted  their  skinny  fingers  into  his 
long,  arrowy  bristles,  and  closed  their  hands  a;id 
eyes  and  teeth  as  if  for  a  death-struggle.  There 
was  tumbling  and  tripping  and  pushing  and  yelling 
and  swearing,  while  the  Rebel  guards,  at  a  "pa 
rade  rest,"  were  laughing  heartily  at  the  ridiculous 
scene. 

Every  man  clung  to  the  part  he  first  seized,  and 
that  part  was  to  be  his  portion.  Richardson  was 
the  first  to  seize  a  hind  leg,  and  this,  leg  he  clung  to 
through  all  the  melee  like  grim  death  to  his  victim, 
and  did  not  relinquish  his  hold  until  it  was  cut  off 
and  securely  lodged  in  the  mess  kettle  for  supper. 

Our  guest  was  not  "the  fattest  hog  in  Epicurus' 
sty,"  but  we  were  in  no  condition  to  make  a  point 
of  quality,  and  thankfully  struggled  for  steaks  that 
"would  not  fry  themselves." 

This  was  the  first  and  only  ration  of  meat  issued 
to  us  while  at  Columbia,  and  this  —  no  thanks  to 
the  Eebels  —  very  foolishly  issued  itself. 

It  would  have  been  useless  for  the  prison  authori 
ties  to  try  to  deprive  us  of  this  well-earned  booty, 
for  in  less  than  five  minutes  after  the  first  salute  it 
would  have  been  impossible  to  find  enough  of  the 
grunting  porker  to  grease  a  skillet,  if  we  except  the 
intestines. 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  190 

"When  the  black  hog  was  seen  on  a  run  tl rough  the  camp 
Each  soldier  forgot  his  starvation  and  cramp  ;  — 
The  grunts  gf  the  hog  and  his  running  were  vain  — 
His  form  will  ne'er  darken  that  camp-giound  again." 

The  Wandering  Poet  of  New  Hampshire. 

SHERMAN'S  MARCH  TO  THE  SEA. 

A  few  days  confirmed  the  rumors  that  had  been 
floating  with  regard  to  Sherman's  movements.  It 

O  O 

came  to  be  generally  understood  that  he  was  march 
ing  on  Augusta,  Macon,  and  Savannah.  These 
reports  had  the  usual  effects  —  of  depressing  the 
Rebels,  and  inspiring  the  prisoners  with  hope. 
Many  attempts  to  escape  were  made  at  this  time  — 
with  varying  success.  Several  shots  were  fired  into 
the  pen  by  the  sentinels,  and  one  prisoner  had  his 
arm  blown  off  in  an  attempt  to  run  the  guard. 

On  the  23d,  Lieutenant  George  R.  Barse,  Fifth 
Michigan  Cavalry,  of  whom  previous  mention  has 
been  made,  escaped  by  strategy  while  the  prisoners 
were  passing  out  on  parole  after  wood.  The  officer 
of  the  guard  had  taken  position  without  the  guard- 
line,  where  he  had  a  battalion  of  men  in  readiness  to 
send  to  the  woods  with  the  paroled  prisoners,  allow 
ing  several  to  go  at  a  time,  and  proportioning  the 
number  of  guards  to  the  size  of  the  squad.  As  each 
party  arrives  near  the  "  dead  line,"  one  of  the  num 
ber  manifests  a  desire  to  pass  out,  at  the  same  time 
exhibiting  a  paper  with  signatures  attached  to  a 
written  parole.  The  officer  of  the  guard  then  beck 
ons  to  the  sentinel  to  permit  them  to  cross  the  lines, 
when  he  takes  their  paroles  and  hands  thorn  to  one 


200  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  I'EISON  PEN, 

of  a  certain  number  of  armed  men,  who  are  detailed 
to  act  as  their  escort.  Barse  followed  a  squad  that 
observed  all  this  necessary  formality  ;  but  the  officer 
and  guard  were  none  too  bright ;  and  Lieutenant 
Barse  went  on,  rejoicing  no  doubt  at  his  good  for 
tune,  until  he  reached  the  woods,  W7hen  he  claimed 
that  he  was  a  hospital  steward,  and  had  nothing  to 
do  with  the  men,  whom  he  had  only  chanced  to 
walk  out  of  camp  writh.  Luckily,  there  was  no  one 
present  to  contradict  his  assertion,  and,  without 
further  ceremony,  he  marched  off  at  his  pleasure. 

Great  excitement  prevailed  just  now  over  Sher 
man's  terrific  march  through  Georgia,  which  was 
just  beginning  to  develop  itself.  The  Legislature 
removed  to  Macon,  and  Governor  Brown  issued 
a  proclamation  ordering  to  the  front  every  man 
capable  of  bearing  arms. 

THANKSGIVING   DAY 

Brought  us  much  to  be  thankful  for,  to  be  sure,  but 
little  heart  to  enter  into  the  celebration  of  such  a 
day.  There  was  great  suffering  in  camp  on  account 
of  the  severity  of  the  weather.  We  had  heavy 
frosts  frequently,  and  many,  having  no  blankets, 
were  obliged  to  find  warmth  in  exercise.  Hampton, 
Richardson,  and  myself,  possessed  a  small  blanket 
each,  but  with  even  these  it  was  almost  impossible 
to  keep  from  freezing.  We  sleep  in  the  middle  by 
turns,  and  this  privilege  with  us  is  a  matter  of  the 
gravest  importance.  So  unpardonable  was  the 
offence  of  attempting  to  deprive  one  of  his  equal 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  201 

rights  in  this  respect,  that  many  quarrels  originated 
from  no  other  cause.  In  a  case  involving  so  much 
interest  we  did  not  trust  to  memory,  but,  on  turn 
ing  out  in  the  morning,  marked  upon  the  ground 
the  name  of  the  individual  who  was  to  have  the 
choice  of  position  at  night.  This  method  was  not 
resorted  to  until  we  found  it  to  be  our  only  safe 
guard  against  disputes.  The  one  who  slept  in  the 
middle  was  usually  quite  comfortable,  although  his 
sphere  of  operations  was  rather  limited,  for  those 
on  the  outside  naturally  inclined  to  crawl  away  from 
the  chilly  flanks  towards  the  centre.  In,  this  way 
we  could  get  some  sleep  one  night  in  three,  if  not 
drowned  out  by  a  rain  storm. 

MUD   BURROWS. 

After  waiting  our  turn  for  more  than  three  weeks, 
we  at  last  succeeded  in  securing  an  old  shovel,  with 
which  we  dug  a  cave  in  the  ground  large  enough  to 
crawl  into  at  night,  and  during  storms. 

There  seemed  no  prospect  of  a  general  exchange, 
and  the  prisoners  were  determined  to  make  the  best 
of  their  miserable  situation.  So  far  as  I  was  con 
cerned,  it  was  iicrt  my  intention  to  spend  a  single 
night  in  this  bear's  den,  if  possible  to  effect  an 
escape ;  and  yet  we  always  thought  it  worth  our 
while  to  be  prepared  for  the  worst. 

The  greater  part  of  the  25th  was  spent  in  digging, 
and  we  accomplished  as  much  during  the  "  long, 
weary  day,"  as  a  first-class  ditcher  might  have  clone 
in  an  hour.  I  became  tired  of  it,  and  fully  resolved 


202  THE    CAPTURE,    THE   PRISON 

to  make  my  escape  on  the  26tli.  Saw  friend  Lemovi, 
and  proposed  to  him  a  plan  by  which  we  could  re 
lieve  "  Camp  Sorghum "  from  any  further  care  of 
our  persons.  We  could  not  think  of  being  longer 
dependent  on  the  bounty  of  our  enemies,  and  deter 
mined  to  strive  for  some  advantage  of  situation 
which  would  enable  us  to  return  their  compliments. 

PLAN   OF   ESCAPE. 

It  was  customary  to  extend  the'  guard-line  in  the 
morning,  for  the  purpose  of  allowing  the  prisoners 
to  pick  up  wood  on  a  piece  of  timbered  land  just 
opposite  camp ;  and  it  was  our  intention  to  take  a 
shovel,  when  permitted  to  pass  to  the  woods,  and 
make  a  hole  in  the  ground  large  enough  to  receive 
our  two  skeletons,  and  then  have  our  friends  cover 
us  with  brush  and  leaves.  Thus  concealed,  we 
hoped  to  be  left  without  the  camp  when  the  guard 
should  be  withdrawn.  Should  we  succeed  in  escap 
ing  the  vigilance  of  the  sentinels,  it  was  our  purpose 
to  strike  for  Augusta,  Georgia,  feeling  assured  that 
General  Sherman  would  soon  occupy  that  place. 
Many  preferred  to  strike  for  Knoxville,  Tennessee, 
considering  that  the  safer,  though  it  was  much  the 
longer  route  to  our  lines.  Our  course  would  incur 
more  risk,  but  the  sooner  bring  us  within  the  Fed 
eral  camp.  Indulging  these  expectations,  we  lay 
down  to  rest. 

On  the  morning  of  the  26th  Hampton  and  Richard 
son  asked  if  we  should  continue  work  on  our  "  mud 
burrow."  I  replied  that  I  should  dig  no  more  holes 


AKD    THE   ESCAPE.  203 

in  South  Carolina ;  that  they  need  make  no  arrange 
ments  in  their  cellar  for  me,  as  I  did  not  propose 
to  have  any  further  use  for  subterranean  caverns. 
They  looked  at  each  other  with  a  knowing  smile, 
doubtless  thinking  a  temporary  disgust  had  come 
over  me,  which  would  soon  wear  away,  and  I  would 
again  return  to  my  quarters.  Under  the  circum 
stances,  I  am  disposed  to  pardon  them. 

Lemon  and  I  kept  a  careful  lookout,  anxiously 
waiting  for  the  guard  to  be  extended  out  into  the 
woods.  But  the  morning  was  cold  and  rainy,  and 
the  guards  not  caring  to  leave  their  snug  tents  along 
the  line  of  the  encampment,  we  were  left  without 
fires. 

Thus  our  hopes  were  again  blasted,  and  nothing 
was  left  us  but  to  make  a  bold  strike,  and  pass  the 
guards  by  a  plentiful  exhibition  of  "  brass."  How 
this  was  accomplished  will  be  set  forth  in  the  next 
chapter. 


204  THE   CAPTURED  THE  PRISON 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE   ESCAPE  FKOM   COLUMBIA.* 

FIRST   DAY. 

LEXINGTON  C.  H.  KOAD,  six  MILES  FROM  COLUMBIA,  S.  C.,  > 
Saturday,  November  26,  1864.  $ 

WHILE  taking  a  stroll  through  "  Camp  Sorghum  * 
ill  the  morning  for  the  purpose  of  discovering  a 
weak  point  in  the  guard-line,  I  observed  one  of  the 
guards  to  be  a  stupid-looking  fellow,  and  proposed 
testing  his  abilities  before  he  should  be  relieved  by 
one  of  brighter  appearance.  Accordingly  I  hast 
ened  in  pursuit  of  Lieutenant  M.  W*  Lemon,  of  the 
Fourteenth  New  York  Heavy  Artillery,  a  man  of 
courage  and  enterprise,  and  with  whom  I  had  de 
cided  to  escape.  I  only  told  him  to  meet  me  at  a 
certain  point,  and  be  ready  to  leave  the  pen  in  three 
minutes. 

No  time  was  lost  in  packing  or  checking  our  bag 
gage  to  any  given  point;  and  we  also  deemed  it 

*  Written  during  the  escape,  while  in  the  swamps  and 
cotton  gins  of  South  Carolina  and  Georgia,  where  we  were 
secreted  by  the  ever-faithful  negroes. 


THE   ESCAPE.  205 

unnecessary  to  bid  our  friends  good-by,  or  to  thank 
the  proprietors  for  hospitalities  received. 

PASSING   THE    DEAD   LINE. 

We  were  soon  at  the  specified  place,  passed  up  to 
the  "  dead  line,"  as  if  that  point  possessed  no  further 
interest  to  us,  and  were  in  the  act  of  stepping  over, 
when  the  aforementioned  worthy  brought  his  gun  to 
bear  upon  me  with  an  uncomfortable  precision ;  at 
the  same  time  ordering  a  halt. 

"Where  are  you  going,  Yanks?"  he  demanded; 
but  with  an  air  of  offended  dignity,  I  only  said, 
w  Do  you  halt  paroled  prisoners  here  ?  "  His  meek 
tf  No,  sir,"  was  almost  lost  in  the  distance,  as  I 
.boldly  crossed  the  dreaded  line,  adding,  "Then  let 
the  gentleman  in  the  rear  follow  me ;  "  and  so  wo 
passed,  while  the  brilliant  sentinel  murmured,  "All 
right." 

.And  right  it  was  ;  for  now  we  were  free,  breath 
ing  the  fresh  ajr,  untainted  by  the  breath  of  hun 
dreds  of  famishing,  diseased,  and  dying  men. 

Outside  of  the  pen  were  numbers  of  paroled  pris 
oners  gathering  wood,  and  Rebel  guards  strolling 
about.  We  at  once  commenced  discussing  the  most 
favorable  locality  for  obtaining  brush  with  which  to 
cover  our  "  mud-burrow,"  and  thus  conversing  about- 
our  domestic  affairs,  it  was  not  long  before  we  were 
well  into  the  woods,  —  the  guards  thinking,  no 
doubt,  if  they  thought  at  all,  that  we  had  a  right  to 
be  out  with  the  others.  Once  well  beyond  the  sight 
of  gray-coated  sentinels,  we  put  our  untried  strength 
1) 


206  THE    CAPTURE,  THE   PRISON  PEN, 

to  a  test  and  placed  a  few  miles  between  us  and 
"  Camp  Sorghum "  rather  hurriedly.  There  was 
not  very  much  of  dignity  in  our  departure,  to  be 
sure,  —  not  to  say  grace  or  beauty; — and  it  may 
be  that  there  was  something  a  little  suspicious  in  a 
certain  looking  over  the  shoulder  that  might  have 
been  observed  as  we  sloped  through  bushes  and 
leaped  over  logs.  Quite  likely  horse  thieves,  when 
thwarted  in  their  purposes  have  propelled  them 
selves  from  the  scenes  of  their  embarrassments  in  a 
manner  not  remarkably  dissimilar.  It  may  be  that, 
not  very  high-toned  curs,  in  getting  away  from  the 
back-doors  of  butcher  shops  would  find  it  conven 
ient  to  imitate  us  rather  *closely ; —  and  yet  there 
was  something  in  this  style  of  locomotion  that 
seemed  peculiarly  adapted  to  our  circumstances, 
and  we  fell  into  it  instinctively,  as  it  were. 

We  have  never,  as  yet,  to  any  great  extent*  had 
occasion  to  regret  our  haste  and  want  of  dignity. 

As  soon  as  we  had  put  sufficient  distance  between 
ourselves  and  the  "Prison  Pen"  to  make  leisure 
compatible  with  safety,  we  proceeded  more  slowly. 

The  country,  outside  of  cities  and  villages  at  the 
South,  is  always  so  sparsely  settled  that,  once  on 
the  road,  and  no  hounds  upon  the  track,  one  can 
readily  find  places  of  concealment.  Of  course,  it 
was  our  policy  at  the  first  to  keep  comparatively 
scarce  for  a  time.  We  made  a  little  progress,  how 
over,  following  ravines  and  concealed  places,  and 
always  avoiding  roads  and  openings. 

Seyeral   times  we   ran  on  to  white  people,  but 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  207 

succeeded  in  hiding  ourselves  until  they  were  past. 
About  two  o'clock  we  lay  down  to  rest,  and  remained 
concealed  until  nearly  dark  —  sleeping  little,  how 
ever,  on  account  of  the  excitement  of  our  situation. 

MEETING  NEGROES. 

Whe*\  night  began  to  fall  we  were  up  and  doing, 
«md  -soon  struck  the  Lexington  Court  House  road. 
Following  this  for  some  Uttle  time  we  heard  voices 
behind  us,  and  slackened  01*  r>ace  to  discover  whether 
they  were  negroes  or  whi*'*  ^len.  It  is  sometimes 
difficult  to  determine,  as  their  manner  of  conversa 
tion  is  almost  the  same  in  the  South. 

When  they  were  within  ten  or  fifteen  feet  of  us, 
partly  turning,  I  said,  "  A  pleasant  evening,  gentle 
men." 

This  was  intended  to  be  equally  applicable  to  both 
whites  and  negroes,  but  the  answer  was  equally  in 
definite.  One  of  them  merely  remarked,  "  Indeed 
it  is,"  and  said  no  more. 

We  were  rather  led  to  believe  they  were  white 
men,  and  so  quickened  our  step  and  left  them  some 
what  behind. 

As  the  distance  increased,  their  conversation 
commenced  again,  and  we  heard  one  of  them  say, 
"I  guess  deys  Yankees."  Another  replied,  "I 
hope  to  God  dey  is." 

This  satisfied  us  that  they  were  negroes,  and  we 
turned  round,  and  met  them  face  to  face.  I  asked, 
in  a  low  voice,  "  Do  you  know  who  I  am?  " 

If.  I  reckon  I  dun  no  ye,  Massa. 


<f08  THE    CAPTURE,  THE   PXISOX 

G.  Have  you  ever  seen  a  Yankee  ? 

N.  Lor'  bless  ye,  Massa.  I've  seed  a  heap  ob 
%em  down  to  Columbia. 

G.  Do  we  look  like  Yankees  ? 

N.  Can't  very  well  tell  in  de  night-time ; 
s'pect  you  talk  like  'em. 

G.  "Well,  my  good  fellow,  we  are  Yankees,  just 
escaped  from  Columbia.  Can't  you  do  something 
for  us  ? 

]N~.  Ob  corse,  I  will  do  all  I  can  for  you.  I'se  no 
nigger  if  I  wouldn't  'sist  de  Yankees. 

Being  satisfied  that  they  were  entirely  trust 
worthy,  we  unfolded  our  plans  to  them.  There 
were  three  of  them.  They  had  been  at  Columbia, 
working  on  a  new  prison  stockade,  which  the  Rebels 
were  building  for  the  reception  of  Federal  prisoners. 
Judging  that  Sherman's  movements  might  make 
this  labor  useless,  they  had  stopped  work  and  sent 
the  negroes  to  their  masters.  These  three  fellows 
were  the  "  property  "  of  a  Mr.  Steadman,  whose 
plantation  is  situated  some  twent}r-five  miles  south 
west  of  Columbia,  on  the  road  to  Augusta.  Thus 
we  were  travelling  in  the  same  direction. 

We  stepped  aside  in  the  bushes  to  arrange  a  plan 
of  procedure,  and  after  a  discussion  of  the  subject, 
one  of  their  number,  "Ben  Steadman"  by  name, 


agreed  to  become 


OUE  GUIDE 


while  the  other  two  were  to  travel  by  themselves. 
This  proved  a  wise  arrangement  in  the  end,  for  the 
fact  that  there  were  only  three  of  us  together  prob- 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  209 

ibly  saved  us  from  recapture,  and  "Ben"  from 
detection  and  punishment. 

Our  guide  decided  to  leave  the  main  road,  and 
take  a  shorter  cut  to  his  master's  plantation.  It 
was  arranged  that  "Ben"  should  walk  in  advance 
some  little  distance,  and  if  he  met  any  white  men, 
give  us  warning  by  a  peculiar  kind  of  cough ;  — • 
while  we,  on  the  other  hand,  were  to  give  him  notice 
of  danger  in  a  similar  manner. 

After  a  tramp  of  two  or  three  hours  we  struck  a 
"blind  road,"  and,  being  assured  by  our  guide  that  it 
was  never  frequented  by  white  men  after  dark,  dis 
regarded  our  first  precaution,  and  walked  carelessly 
along,  chatting  vigorously  with  "  Ben  "  upon  those 
subjects  which  most  interested  us.  We  had  not- 
proceeded  far,  however,  before  we  were  reminded 
of  the  necessity  of  moving  more  cautiously.  Our 
reminder  was  none  other  than 

A  REBEL  PICKET 

of  eight  men,  a  little  to  the  left  of  the  road.  For 
tunately  for  us  but  one  of  the  number  was  awake. 
Supposing  that  we  were  negroes  he  allowed  us  to 
approach  until  we  were  nearly  opposite  the  picket 
before  the  challenge,  "Who  conies  there?"  was 
given,  and  our  guide  answered,  "  Friends  ;  "  — 
Lemon  and  myself  could  not  see  that  anything 
would  be  gained  by  a  recapture,  and  so  we  flew 
down  the  road  at  the  top  of  our  speed.  This  was 
the  first  test  of  our  fleetness,  and  in  justice  to  Le- 
mor,  I  am  compelled  to  confess  myself  badly  beaten. 


210  THE   CAPTURE,    THE   PRISON  PEN, 

I  could  not  help  saying,  "  Go  in  Lemon,"  nor  avoid 
a  suppressed  laugh  while  straining  every  nerve  to 
overtake  my  rival  in  the  race. 

"  Ben  "  made  a  good  story  of  it,  telling  the  picket 
that  the  other  two  darkies  got  scared  and  ran  away, 
adding,  — 


His  story  being  corroborated  by  those  who  had 
seen  him  leave  the  stockade  with  two  other  negroes, 
he  was  soon  set  at  liberty,  ready  to  do  another  good 
job  when  called  for. 

Expecting  to  be  pursued,  we  soon  concealed  our 
selves  behind  a  log  near  the  roadside.  After  a 
little  a  detachment  of  the  picket  passed  by  escorting 
"Ben"  to  the  reserve  of  the  picket;  he,  in  the 
mean  time,  narrating  the  adventures  of  the  night, 
and  denouncing  "dem  two  cowardly  niggers"  in 
good  round  terms. 

After  they  had  passed,  we  followed  them  cau 
tiously  in  the  deep  sand,  until  they  came  to  a  squad 
of  men  sleeping  and  watching  around  a  large  fire. 
Not  being  able  to  flank  them,  on  account  of  swamps, 
which  lay  on  either  side  of  the  road,  we  halted  and 
slept  near  them  till  morning. 

While  looking  for  a  place  of  concealment,  Lemon 
and  myself  became  separated,  and  not  daring  to 
speak,  crawled  around  nearly  an  hour  before  we 
found  e'ach  other.  We  had  eaten  nothing  save  a 
small  piece  of  corn-bread  since  leaving  Columbia, 
and  had  not"  dared  to  present  ourselves  before  any 


AXD    THE   L SCAPE.  211 

habitation ;  but  hoped  to  break  our  long  fast  after 


ten  o'clock  the  next  night. 


SECOND    DAY. 

NEAR  BARXWELL  COTTRT  HOUSE, 
Sunday,  November  27. 

Soon  after  daylight  (he  picket,  near  which  we 
were  sleeping,  scattered  in  every  direction,  and 
went  to  their  homes.  They  were  not  regular  sol 
diers,  but  bushwhackers,  who  were  on  their  planta 
tions  during  the  day,  and  met  at  night  to  patrol  and 
picket  the  highways. 

This  left  the  coast  clear,  and,  breakfastless,  we 
began  to  pick  our  way  through  the  swamp  which  lay 
before  us ;  passing  through  it,  we  soon  came  into  a, 
.rolling  wooded  country  and  pushed  on,  taking  the 
road  for  a  guide,  but  not  daring  to  come  nearer  to 
it  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile.  We  found  nothing  to 
eat  but  a  few  blueberries,  not  the  best  travelling 
diet  in  the  world,  but  thankfully  received  under  the 
circumstances.  About  nine  o'clock  A.  M.  we  crossed 
the  road  with  a  view  to  putting  possible  pursuers 
off  the  track.  About  eleven  o'clock  we  came  to  a 
clearing,  and  made  our  way  to  a  barn  near  by ;  but 
seeing  a  planter  standing  by  a  fence  across  the  field 
we  hastily  retraced  our  steps,  and  got  into  the 
woods  again.  Shortly  after,  we  came  to  another 
open  field,  which  we  crossed  successfully. 

Near  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  we  came  to  a 
large  plantation,  approaching  within  thirty  or  fort? 


f!2  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON  PEN, 

rods  of  the  building,  and  lying  in  the  bushes.  Here 
we  tried  to  attract  the  attention  of  negroes,  but 
were  unsuccessful.  While  snugly  ensconced  behind 
a  large  log,  a  white  woman  and  several  small  chil 
dren  came  riding  down  tlio  road  on  a  mule,  and 
passed  within  a  few  feet  of  us,  but  we  hugged  the 
ground  closely,  and  were  not  observed. 

AN   ACCIDENTAL   FRIEND . 

As  it  began  to  grow  dark,  we  crept  cautiously  on 
our  way  along  the  side  of  the  road,  and  about  nine 
o'clock  came  to  the  junction  of  four  roads  where 
we  fortunately  found  a  friend  in  an  old  guide-board. 

Jumping  on  my  companion's  shoulders,  I  was 
enabled  by  the  light  of  the  moon  to  read  the  direc 
tion  and  decide  upon  the  course  to  be  pursued.  We 
then  pushed  on  our  way  at  a  rapid  pace  until  about 
two  o'clock  A.  M^  when  we  laid  down  in  the  bushes 
near  the  roadside  to  sleep.* 

THIRD  DAY. 

NEAR  BLACK  CREEK,  S.  C.,  > 
Monday,  November  28.      $ 

We  were  awakened  just  before  daybreak  by  the 
villainous  barking  of  dogs,  and  found  ourselves  but 
a  few  rods  from  the  plantation  of  Alexander  Taylor. 
The  dogs  had  attracted  the  attention  of  the  people 
towards  our  hiding-place,  and  as  soon  as  a  move 
was  made,  we  were  observed.  Kunning  I  knew 
would  be  useless,  as  I  could  see  the  planter's  wife 
looking  at  us. 


AND    TBE  ESCAPE.  213 

My  companion  preferred  remaining  at  a  safe  dis 
tance  from  his  dogship,  while  I  approached  the 
ladies  who  were  already  assembled  near,  and  after 
learning  there  were  no  white  men  on  the  plantation, 
1  frankly  stated  my  case,  and  appealed  to  their 
sympathies  for  something  to  eat.  They  were  at 
first  unwilling  to  grant  me  any  assistance.  Mrs. 
Tay lor  said  that  her  husband  was  in  the  Confederate 
army,  that  her  heart  was  with  the  Southern  people, 
and  further,  that  she  thought  it  wrong  for  her  to  su! 
a  Yankee  in  making  his  escape.  I  then  addressed 
to  her  a  brief  speech,  recounting  in  pitiful  tenus 
my  misfortunes,  and  my  disappointment,  should  I 
fail  in  reaching  Gen.  Sherman's  lines. 

KINDNESS   OF  MRS.    TAYLOR. 

I  made  no  gestures,  struck  no  attitudes,  and  used 
none  of  the  enticements  of  rhetoric,  but  simDty 
made  a  direct  appeal  to  her  benevolent  feeling^ , 
and  this,  aided  by  my  forlorn  and  destitute  condi 
tion,  seemed  to  win  the  day.  The  kind-hearted 
lady  remarked  that  she  "  would  see  what  could  be 
done  for  us,"  and  going  into  the  house  she  returned 
with  a  generous  supply  of  corn-bread,  bacon,  and 
sweet  potatoes. 

After  extorting  a  promise  from  the  ladies  that 
they  would  not  betray  us,  I  promised  Mrs.  Tailor 
that  if  ever  her  husband  came  in  Yankee  hands,  and 
it  was  in  my  power,  I  would  see  no  harm  befall 
him  ;  and  this  promise  I  would  have  kept  even  at 
the  expense  of  my  own  life.  The  rations  were  soon 

CJ* 


214  THE    CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON 

hurried  into  my  haversack,  and  after  again  thanking 
my  benefactress  for  her  kindness,  I  returned  to  my 
companion,  when  we  hastened  off  to  a  thicket  in  the 
woods,  built  a  pine-knot  fire,  roasted  our  potatoes, 
and  made  a  "royal  breakfast."  £Oh  ye  who  sleep 
on  beds  of  down  in  your  curtained  chambers,  and 
rise  at  your  leisure  to  feast  upon  the  good  things 
provided,  smile  not  when  I  say  you  never  knew 
the  luxury  of  a  night  of  rest,  nor  the  sweets  of  a 
meal  seasoned  by  hunger,  and  the  grateful  remem 
brance  that  it  was  provided  by  woman's  kindly 
heart,  which,  wherever  it  may  beat,  sooner  or 
later  responds  to  the  tale  of  misfortune  and  suf 
fering  humanity.  ^ 

A  bath  in  a  stream  near  by,  with  the  washing  of 
our  stockings,  completed  the  duties  of  the  morning, 
and  we  were  glad  to  rest,  being  weary,  weak,  and 
sore,  the  result  of  violent  walking. 

After  resting  all  day,  we  roasted  more  potatoes  at 
night,  and  putting  our  feet  to  the  decaying  embers, 
again  lay  down  to  sleep.  It  was  our  purpose  to 
awaken  at  eleven  o'clock  and  pursue  our  journe}% 
but  we  were  so  much  exhausted  by  walking  and 
exposure  that  sleep  entirely  overpowered  us,  and 
the  night  was  far  spent  before  we  again  awoke. 
We  were  soon  on  our  way,  however,  endeavoring 
to  redeem  the  lost  time. 


AND    IRE   ESCAPE.  213 


FOURTH   DAY. 


NEAR  NORTH  EDISTO  RIVER,  ox  THE  ROAD  TO  AIKK^,  S.  C.,  > 
Tuesday,  November  29.  $ 

We  reached  Black  Creek  this  morning  just  before 
daybreak,  and  while  crossing  the  bridge  over  said 
stream,  met  a  negro  on  his  way  to  work,  who 
turned  back  and  conducted  us  to  a  hut  for  safe 
keeping  during  the  day. 

This  hut,  familiarly  known  throughout  the  neigh 
borhood  as 


Was  the  general  gathering  place  of  all  in  want  of 
assistance.  The  good  old  soul  gladly  roused  from 
her  morning  slumbers  when  she  learned  that  Yan 
kees  were  at  the  door  awaiting  her  attention.  We 
were  welcomed  with  a  hearty  "  God  bless  ye,  Mas- 
sa,"  and  while  she  made  preparations  for  our 
"  creature  comforts,"  a  little  boy  was  sent  to  ask  in 
her  dusky  neighbors  that  they  might  "  rejoice  with 
her"  over  the  good  fortune  of  having  an  opportunity 
to  aid  friends  in  escaping  from  a  common  enemy. 
In  an  incredibly  short  space  of  time  the  entire  col 
ored  population  of  the  plantation  were  assembled. 

To   exhibit   their  deep  religious  interest  in  our 
welfare, 

A   PRAYER-MEETING 

Was  improvised  for  our  especial  benefit,  and  they 
conducted  it  in  a  manner  both  creditable  to  them- 


216  THE    CAPTURE,  THE  PRISON  PEN, 

selves  and  amusing  to  us.  The  burden  of  then 
petitions  was,  that  all  the  prisoners  held  by  the 
Rebels  might  make  a  general  exodus  and  reach 
the  Yankee  lines  in  safety ;  that  we  in  particular 
might  succeed  in  making  our  escape ;  that  our 
armies  might  speedily  conquer  the  whole  of  Se- 
cessia,  liberate  the  slaves,  and  take  possession  of 
the  land. 

UNCLE   ZEB," 

who  seemed  to  be  a  ruling  spirit,  by  common  con 
sent,  led  off  as  follows  : 

"  O  Lord  God  A'mighty  !  we  is  your  chil'en,  and 
'spects  you  to  hear  us  widout  delay,  —  cause  we  all 
is  in  right  smart  ob  a  hurry.  Des  yer  gemmen  has 
rund  away  from  cle  seceshers  and  wants  to  git  back 
to  de  Norf.  Dey  hasn't  got  time  for  to  wait.  Ef 
it  is  kording  to  cle  destination  ob  great  Heaven  to 
help  'em,  it'll  be  'bout  necessary  for  de  help  to  come 
right  soon. 

"De  hounds  and  de  Eebels  is  on  dere  track. 
Take  de  smell  out  ob  de  dog's  noses,  O  Lord !  and 
let  'Gypshun  darkness  come  clown  ober  de  eyesights 
ob  de-  Rebels.  Confound  'em,  O  Lord !  cley  i? 
cruel,  and  makes  haste  to  shed  blood.  Dcy  has 
long  'pressed  de  black  man,  and  ground  him  in  de 
dust,  and  now  I  reck'n  dcy  'spects  dat  dey  am 
agwine  to  serve  de  Yankees  in  de  same  war 

"'Sist  des  gemmen  in  time  ob  trouble,  and  lift  xm 
fru  all  danger  on  to  de  udder  side  ob  Jordan  dry- 
shod. 


AND    THE   VSCAPE.  217 

"And  raise  cle  radiance  ob  your  face  on  all  do 
Yankees  what's  e!mt  up  in  de  Souf.  Send  some 
Moses,  O  Lord !  to  guide  'em  fru  de  Red  Sea  ob 
'flicshun  into  de  promised  land. 

"  Send  Mr.  Sherman's  company,  sweepin'  down 
*ru  dese  yer  parts  to  scare  de  Rebels  till  dey  flee 
like  de  Midiaus,  and  slew  dereselves  to  sabe  dere 
fives. 

"  Let  a  little  de  best  ob  Heaven's  best  judgments 
rest  on  Massa  Lincum,  —  and  may  de  year  ob  Ju 
bilee  come  sure. 

"O  Lord!  bless  de  gen'rals  ob  de  Norf — O 
Lord  !  bless  de  kunnels  —  O  Lord  !  bless  de  brig- 
erdeers  —  O  Lord  !  bless  de  capt'ins  —  O  Lord  ! 
bless  de  Yankees  right  smart.  O  Lord !  Eber- 
lastin'.  Amen." 

This  prayer,  offered  in  a  full  and  fervent  voice, 
seemed  to  cover  our  case  exactly,  and  we  could  join 
in  the  "  Amen  "  with  heartfelt  devotion.  We  may 
never  know  how  much  negro  prayers  have  aided 
the  cause  of  the  Union,  —  and  availed  in  behalf  of 
our  escaping  prisoners.  Other  prayers  followed 
"Uncle  Zeb's,"  and  a  "refreshing  season"  was  the 
result. 

As  faith  without  works  amounts  to  nothing  — 
their  next  step  was  to  make  arrangements  for  our 
future. 

It  was  now  near  daylight,  and  they  advised  that 
we  remain  within  the  hut  during  the  day,  assuring 
us  that  "no  white  folks  nebber  coi  ic  near  Auut 
Katy's  —  so  don't  be  Traid,  mas^a." 


218  THE   CAPTURE,  THE  PRISON 

Every  one  offered  to  do  something  for  iis.  One 
could  make  some  boe  cakes,  another  could  bring 
some  bacon,  another  had  some  fresh  pork,  that  had 
ju,st  been  killed  on  the  plantation  —  and  still  an 
other  "  reckoned  he  might  git  to  find  a  dead  chicken 
somewhar." 

ENCOURAGING  PROSPECTS. 

Uncle  "Zeb"  was  a  sort  of  universal  genius,  and 
learning  that  we  needed  a  knife  to  cut  our  rations 
and  dispose  of  any  small  game  we  might  chance  to 
meet  with,  volunteered  to  make  us  one.  Another 
would  bring  us  a  bag  to  serve  as  a  haversack. 
After  these  promises  they  dispersed  to  their  work, 
assuring  us  that  they  would  return  in  the  evening. 

Thus  our  whereabouts  was  known  to  about  thirty 
negroes,  young  and  old;  and  I  venture  that  we 
were  as  safe  from  betrayal  as  though  the  number 
had  been  our  own  soldiers.  The  talent  of  the  ne 
gro  for  concealment  is  something  wonderful.  Their 
whole  history  as  a  race  has  compelled  them  to  it, 
and  they  have  been  apt  scholars.  They  can  often 
make  white  men  believe  a  downright  falsehood, 
when  they  cannot  persuade  them  to  believe  the 
truth.  A  shrewd  lawyer  with  his  suspicions  fully 
aroused,  might  have  puzzled  in  vain  to  get  any  in 
formation  with  regard  to  our  presence  from  a  ten- 
year-old  boy. 

When  "Aunt  Ivaty"  sent  her  little  boy,  about 
eight  years  of  age,  to  notify  the  colored  people  of 
our  coming,  we  were  apprehensive  that  it  might  not 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  219 

be  safe  to  trust  to  so  young  a  lad,  but  the  old  lady 
assured  us  that  we  need  have  no  fears  as  the  — 
"  chile  know'd  what  he's  'bout."  She  then  told  us 
that  only  a  short  time  before,  when  some  escaped 
prisoners  wrere  concealed  in  her  hut,  the  planter 
had  had  suspicions  of  the  fact,  and  riding  by,  had 
asked  the  little  boy  if  there  were  not  Yankees  in. 
the  house,  when  the  young  rascal,  giving  a  start, 
rolled  his  eyes  in  the  direction  of  the*  hut,  with  a 
wroe-begone  look,  and  asked  quickly,  —  "  Yankees 
in  dar,"  and  then  added  with  a  shudder  of  fear,  — 
w  Gor  A 'mighty,  massa,  ef  dar  wras,  you  wouldn't 
catch  dis  darky  ycr  no  how.  Dem  Yankees  got 
horns  on,  massa,  and  I'se  'fraid  of 'um.  Ef  I  seed 
one  of  'um  coming  for  me,  I'd  die  shoore."  The 
master  rode  on,  doubtless  well  pleased  with  the 
manner  in  which  his  stories  about  Yankees  had  been 
treasured  up. 

It  is  an  established  fact  that  it  would  have  been 
impossible  for  our  men,  held  as  prisoners  of  war  in 
the  South,  to  make  an  escape  without  the  aid  of  ne 
groes,  and  it  would  have  been  nearly  as  impossible 
had  they  been  strictly  truthful  in  all  cases. 

Evening  brought  them  again  to  "Aunt  Katy's." 
Uncle  "  Zcb  "  had  manufactured  the  knife  in  good 
earnest.  He  had  taken  the  largest  file  the  planta 
tion  afforded,  and  hammered  it  into  a  blade  nearly 
two  feet  long.  To  this  he  had  attached  a  handle 
some  eight  inches  in  length,  and  two  in  diameter. 
With  this  young  sword,  he  stalked  into  the  room 
with  an  air  of  triumphant  satisfaction.  His  ideas 


220  THE   CAPTURE,  THE  PRISON'  PEN", 

of  the  use  to  which  it  could  be  put,  were  somewhat 
different  from  ours,  as  his  presentation  speech  will 
serve  to  show. 

"  Here,  gemmen,  is  yer  knife.  I  reckon  ye'll  find 
it  bery  useful  in*  yer  trabels.  Ye  can  cut  yer  hoe 
cake  wid  it,  and  ef  yer  happens  to  be  on  de  trail  ob 
a  pig  ye  can  chop  his  head  off  afore  he  gits  to  give 
a  squeal  (flourishing  the  knife). 

"And  likewise,  gemmen,  ef  ye  comes  in  a  bery 
tight  place,  dis  yer  might  cut  a  Buckrey's  (Rebel's) 
head  off.  I'se  grounded  it  right  sharp  for  ye  (feel 
ing  of  the  edge),  to  have  it  ready  for  quick  work." 

This  speech  was  delivered  with  all  the  dignity  of 
a  Senator,  and  it  never  occurred  to  him  that  his 
labor  had  been  thrown  away. 

Just  here,  another  brought  us  the  bag  we  had 
bargained  for.  It  was  an  old  tow-string  sack,  and 
would  hold  two  bushels  or  more.  We  could  hardly 
repress  laughter  at  these  generous  attempts  to  meet 
our  demands,  but  took  them  with  us  as  relics  of  our 
experience.* 

One  of  their  number,  a  friend  of  "Ben  Stead- 
man,"  by  the  way,  offered  to  accompany  us  as 
guide.  Ben,  he  said,  was  taken  prisoner,  as  before 
related ;  and  upon  examination,  told  the  plausible 
story  aforementioned,  that  Lemon  and  myself  were 
two  foolish  darkies  who  were  scared  at  the  pickets. 
The  latter  part  of  the  narrative  being  strictly  true, 
it  was  hardly  necessary  for  us  to  rectify  the  former. 

*  Lemon  had  the  knife  at  the  time  of  our  recapture. 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  221 

The  Stcadman  plantation  was  only  three  miles 
away,  and  "Ben"  was  afterwards  brought  to  our 
place  of  concealment  in  the  thieket  by  his  colored 
friend  from  Black  Creek,  and  kindly  offered  his  ser 
vices  for  the  occasion. 

We  told  him  we  were  anxious  to  learn  of  Gen. 
Sherman's  movements,  and  would  like  a  paper. 
He  insisted  upon  our  going  to  his  hut,  although  we 
much  preferred  the  swamp ;  but  were  at  last  pre 
vailed  upon  to  accompany  him.  Arriving  here,  we 
were  politely  introduced  to  Mrs.  Steadman  and 
family.  They  viewed  a  live  Yankee  with  not  a 
little  curiosity ;  after  which,  Ben  instructed  his 
daughter  to  go  into  her  mistress'  house  and  snatch 
a  paper  at  the  earliest  opportunity.  She  soon  came 
running  back  with  the  "Augusta  Constitutionalist*," 
published  that  morning.  The  celerity  with  which 
the  blacks  carry  off  a  desired  article,  or  accomplish 
a  mission  for  a  friend,  is  truly  wonderful;  and  no 
watchfulness  on  the  part  of  their  masters  can  stay  a 
project  when  once  the  heart  is  in  it. 

CROSSING   THE   NORTH   EDISTO.  . 

Having  possessed  ourselves  of  the  contents-  of  the 
paper,  we  struck  the  road  and  crossed  the  North 
Edisto  at  ten  o'clock  P.  M. 

The  water  was  over  the  bridge  in  many  places. 
So  we  were  compelled  to  ford  the  stream. 

It  was  our  intention  to  reach  and  cross  the  South 
Edisto  before  morning,  but  having  become  confused 
by  the  intersection  of  "blind  roads/'  and  having  lost 


222  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON  PEN, 

our  way,  we  were  obliged  to  halt  for  the  night  in  a 
pine  grove,  we  knew  not  where. 

FIFTH  DAY. 

0?r  THE  SOUTH  EDJSTO,    > 
Wednesday,  November  30.  \ 

Had  breakfast  on  hoe-cake  and  pindars,  the  latter 
being  known  at  the  North  as  pea-nuts.  We  were 
in  great  tribulation  on  account  of  the  loss  of  our 
moorings.  After  following  roads  the  previous  even 
ing  for  several  Lours,  we  were  brought  to  a  stand 
still  at  the  edge  of  a  swamp. 

There  were  no  stars  visible,  and  we  had  not  yet 
learned  to  take  the  moon  for  a  guide.  Besides,  the 
heavenly  bodies  in  southern  latitudes  have  so  differ 
ent  an  appearance  from  those  seen  at  the  North  that 
we  were  for  some,  time  after  the  escape  in  constant 
doubt,  as  to  the  points  of  compass.  I  remember 
it  caused  me  great  grief  to  find  that  the  north 
star  was  much  nearer  the  horizon,  and  seemed  to 
have  lost  that  prominence  which  is  given  to  it  in 
high  latitudes,  where  it  is  a  guide  standing  far  above 
tree-top  and  mountain.  Yet  I  soon  came  to  hail  it 
as  a  faithful  sentinel  "that  guards  the  fixed  light  of 
the  universe,  and  bids  the  north  forever  know  its 
place." 

After  moving  to  the  pine  grove  mentioned  in  the 
last  chapter,  which  was  only  a  short  distance  from 
the  swamp  that  stopped  our  progress,  we  slept  till 
about  ten  o'clock  A.  M.  Thinking  it  necessary  that 
we  get  our  bearings  by  daylight,  we  were  obliged 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  223 

to  skulk  along  during  the  whole  clay,  passing  many 
plantations,  and  exciting  the  ire  of  an  array  of 
contemptible  curs,  whose  only  business  and  only 
pleasure  was  to  howl  at  civil  people  who  asked  no 
recognition. 

Good  luck  favored  us  remarkably,  for  we  wrere 
in  sight  of  buildings  several  times  during  the  day. 
These  dangers  and  annoyances  made  us  irritable. 
We  could  scarcely  agree  upon  anything.  Just  be 
fore  dark  wre  heard  wood-choppers,  and  Lemon 
went  to  spy  them  out.  He  soon  returned  and  led 
the  way  to  three  negroes,  who  had  just  stopped 
work,  and  were  about  to  return  to  the  plantation. 
We  accompanied  them  to  a  thicket  within  a  few 
rods  of  their  master's  house,  and  after  they  had 
supplied  us  with  rations  one  of  their  number  piloted 
us  to  the  Aiken  road,  which  was  distant  about  two 
and  a  half  miles.  This  brought  us  within  four 
miles  of  the  South  Eclisto.  The  distance  between 
the  North  and  South  Eclistob  at  this  point  is  twelve 
miles.  The  South  Edisto  is  about  fourteen  miles 
north  of  Aiken,  and  Aikeu  is  seventeen  miles  from 
Augusta. 

As  we  pursued  our  way  towards  the  South  Edisto 
we  could  hear  dogs  barking  far  in  advance  of  us, 
and  judged  that  some  one  must  be  travelling  the 
same  road, — perhaps  escaped  prisoners, —  perhaps 
a  Rebel  patrol.  This  gave  us  some  uneasiness,  as 
we  knew  they  had  a  decided  advantage  by  being  in 
the  advance.  However,  we  plodded  on,  and  whoa 
near  the  river  heard  a  rustling  in  the  bushes.  Wo 


224  THE    CAPTUKE,    THE   PRISON  PEN, 

then  laid  low  for  a  few  moments,  and  two  men  passed 
us  in  the  clear  moonlight.  It  was  impossible  to 
tell  whether  they  were  Federals  or  Rebels,  so  we 
decided  to  watch  their  movements.  After  a  time 
we  followed,  creeping  along  very  cautiously. 

CROSSING  THE    SOUTH   EDISTO. 

The  South  Edisto  in  that  part  of  South  Carolina 
has  half  a  dozen  channels  or  more,  which  are 
very  narrow,  and  between  them  are  long,  narrow 
strips  of  marshy  land.  In  fact  it  is  nothing  more 
than  a  vast  swamp,  with  several  parallel  bayous 
running  through  it.  These  bayous  are  crossed  by 
bridges,  and  while  crossing  one  of  these  we  again 
heard  footsteps  behind  us,  on  a  bridge  we  had  just 
passed  over.  At  this  we  ran  lustily  over  the  re 
maining  bridges,  then  turned  aside  and  concealed 
ourselves  in  some  bushes. 

THE    CHALLENGE. 

Presently  the  two  men,  previously  described, 
came  trudging  along  with  the  same  slow  and  weary 
pace.  From  the  manner  in  which  they  had  manoeu 
vred  I  felt  assured  that  they  were  "  escaped  prison 
ers,"  and  resolved  to  challenge  them  at  all  hazards ; 
so,  stepping  boldly  from  the  bushes,  I  sang  out, 
"  Who  comes  there  ?  "  AVith  a  trembling  start  the 
foremost  man  replied,  "Friends."  I  then  command 
ed,  "Halt,  friends,  —  advance  one,  and  be  recog 
nized."  The  man  stepped  slowly  forward,  peering 
into  my  face,  when  a  mutual  recognition  took  place. 


AND   THE    ESCAPE.  225 

They  were  also  escaped  prisoners  from  Columbia, 
and  yet  we  had  been  dodging  each  other  for  more 
than  an  hour.  Lemon  had  known  one  of  the  officers 
while  in  prison. 

We  at  once  determined  that  it  was  not  best  to 
travel  in  company,  yet  we  pursued  our  way  together, 
talking  over  our  adventures,  until  we  saw  a  large 
fire  in  the  road  directly  in  our  front.  Stealthily 
approaching,  we  found  a  band  of  Eebels  encamped 
there,  and  thought  we  must  be  on  a  picket  post ; 
they  proved,  however,  to  be  a  squad  of  "  tax-gath 
erers  "  going  about  the  country  with  quartermasters' 
wagons,  gathering  supplies. 

Here  was  an  obstacle  to  our  farther  progress. 
There  were  great  ponds  of  water  on  either  side,  and 
the  road  was  blocked.  No  amount  of  reconnoitring 
could  discover  a  solution  of  the  difficulty.  Then 
there  was  a  resort  to  strategy  by  both  our  newly- 
found  friends  and  ourselves,  but  both  parties  resorted 
to  the  same  tactics.  Each  wished  the  other  to  ad 
vance,  and  incur  the  risk  of  a  recapture.  But  neither 
seemed  willing  to  accept  the  preference,  so  we  found 
a  safe  retreat,  and  lay  down  for  the  night. 

SIXTH  DAY. 

AIKEX  ROAD,  SEVEN  MILES  SOUTH  OF  THE  SOUTH  EDISTO,  > 
Thursday,  December  1.  5 

111  the  morning  the  Rebel  band  of  tax-gatherers 
struck  tents  "like  the  Arabs,  and  silently  stole 
away."  This  left  the  road  clear,  and  we  parted 
company  with  our  friends,  each  to  try  the  chances  by 


226  THE    CAPTURE)    THE   PRISON  PEN, 

different  routes.  Just  here  we  were  overpowered 
with  thirst,  but  there  was  nothing  accessible  save 
the  swamp,  so  we  pushed  on  hoping  soon  to  find  a 
spring  or  brook.  Our  course  lay  over  a  high,  bar 
ren,  sandy  table-land,  covered  with  stunted  oaks, 
and  entirely  destitute  of  water.  We  travelled  for 
a  distance  of  seven  miles,  when  we  came  to  a  small 
stream  near  whose  banks  was  a  beautiful  spring. 
Here  we  were  taught  the  value  of  "cold  water  to  a 
thirsty  soul." 

This  stream  ran  through  a  ravine  nearly  a  hun 
dred  feet  in  depth,  while  high  up  on  the  banks  were 
pine  groves.  It  was  a  wild,  romantic  spot,  and  wo 
could  not  tear  ourselves  from  it,  but  lay  concealed 
in  the  grove,  g.oing  occasionally  to  the  spring  to 
drink. 

SEVENTH  DAY. 

IN  A  SWAMP,  NEAR  AIKEIST,  S.  C.,  > 
Friday,  December  2.          > 

Late  in  the  night  we  reluctantly  bade  farewell  to 
the  beautiful  spot  where  we  had  been  refreshed  so 
finely,  and  pursued  our  journey.  Nothing  of  inter 
est  occurred.  The  march  was  unbroken  until  near 
daylight,  when  we  turned  into  a  by-road,  and  found 
a  hiding-place  in  some  thick  underbrush,  close  by 
a  fine  stream  of  water.  It  was  always  our  purpose 
to  do  this,  as  we  knew  thirst  would  drive  us  to 
searching  for  water  dining  the  day,  and  thus  expose 
us  to  danger. 

Just  at  the  break  of  day  we  espied  a  colored  boy 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  227 

passing  down  the  road  with  a  basket  on  his  arm. 
Lemon  ran  out  to  him,  and  called  out,  "Hold  on, 
my  boy,  I  want  to  sec  you ; "  thinking,  meantime, 
that  the  basket  doubtless  contained  what  we  most 
needed,  something  of  an  eatable  character. 

"We  inferred  the  boy  had  a  chicken  with  him  ;  for 
saying  that  word,  in  a  manner  which  betokened  the 
greatest  fear,  he  set  off  at  a  wild  run,  and  I  would 
have  defied  a  race-horse  to  catch  him.  As  for  the 
lieutenant,  after  exhausting  all  his  rhetoric  in  en 
deavoring  to  bring  back  the  boy,  he  returned  to  the 
spot  where  I  lay,  saying,  "Now  they  will  have  us 
again,  and  we  shall  be  prisoners  before  night." 

"Never  fear,"  I  said,  "as  long  as  there  is  a  swamp 
in  the  neighborhood  ;  "  and,  without  further  cere 
mony,  we  picked  up  our  baggage  and  hastily  de 
camped.  Flora  Temple  would  have  been  distanced 
had  she  attempted  to  overtake  us ;  for  her  stakes 
would  have  been  only  a  few  dollars  to  her  owners, 
while  ours  were  life  and  liberty. 

TTe  made  for  a  swamp,  about  a  mile  away,  as  fast 
as  our  tired  limbs  could  carry  us.  This  swamp  lay 
on  either  side  of  the  Aiken  road,  and  our  place  of 
concealment  was  so  near,  that  the  passers-by  were 
in  plain  sight.  While  lying  here  three  ladies  came 
walking  down  a  forest  path,  accompanied  by  several 
hounds.  The  dogs  followed  squirrels  and  other 
game  very  near  our  hiding-place,  but  wo  were  IK  t 
discovered. 

One  of  the  ladies  was  telling  the  others  what  a 
fright  her  mother  had  early  in  the  morning  by  the 


228  THE    CAPTURE,    THE   PRISON  PEN, 

hurried  advent  of  nigger  boy  John,  who  went  to  a 
neighbor's  for  a  chicken.  The  boy  was  wild  with 
terror,  having  been  chased  by  Yankees,  as  he  said. 
Thus  we  learned  that  our  presence  was  known,  and 
we  began  planning  more  caution. 
Towards  evening  several  old 

BUSHWHACKERS 

Rode  along  towards  Aiken,  with  shot  guns  on  their 
shoulders.  They  were  doubtless  thinking  that  the 
foolish  Yankees  would  be  verdant  enough  to  pass 
through  town  at  night,  and  were  determined  to  be 
ready  for  them.  But  we  intended  to  flank  the 
town,  and,  thinking  with  satisfaction  of  our  purpose 
to  give  the  bushwhackers  the  slip,  fell  asleep. 

EIGHTH  DAY. 

IN  A  CORN-FODDER  HOUSE,  NEAR  AIKEN,  S.  C.,  > 
Saturday,  December  3.  5 

We  did  not  resume  our  tramp  until  after  midnight, 
Mrhen  after  walking  a  short  distance  we  found  our 
selves  in  the  village,  much  to  our  mortification  and 
dismay.  Being  much  nearer  the  town  than  we  had 
supposed,  we  had  not  begun  to  exercise  the  caution 
resolved  upon,  when  we  found  ourselves  in  the  very 
midst  of  the  danger. 

MEETING   FRIENDS. 

It  was  the  hour  of  deep  sleep,  however,  and  we 
quietly  passed  through  without  opposition  until  the 
outskirts  on  the  further  side  were  reached,  when 


AND    THE  ESCA1E.  229 

two  men,  accompanied  by  a  boy,  were  seen  ap 
proaching.  When  they  saw  us  they  quickly  turned 
aside  into  a  by-street.  This  convinced  us  that  they 
were  escaped  prisoners,  as  Rebels  had  nothing  to  bo 
afraid  of  in  these  parts.  We  called  to  them  softty,. 
"Don't  be  afraid,  Yanks ;  we  are  friends."  They 
proved  to  be  Captain  Bryant,  of  the  Fifth  New  York 
Cavalry,  and  a  companion  whose  name  I  did  not 
learn.  They  had  a  negro  guide,  who  was  to  secrete 
them  in  a  hut  until  night  again,  when  they  were  to 
proceed  as  we  had  done,  and  reach  the  lines  of  free 
dom  by  the  nearest  route.  Something  of  a  discus 
sion  took  place  during  the  few  minutes  we  remained, 
with  regard  to  the  most '  feasible  course.  They  had 
become  satisfied,  from  information  obtained,  that  it 
was  not  General  Sherman's  intention  to  strike  Au 
gusta,  hence  they  concluded  it  not  worth  while  to 
go  so  far  out  of  our  way  to  reach  that  place.  We  had 
also  learned  that  all  the  boats  on  the  Savannah 
River  had  been  destroyed  south  of  Augusta,  and 
were  satisfied  that  it  would  not  be  possible  to  cross 
below  that  place.  They,  therefore,  took  their 
course  and  we  took  ours  —  meaning  to  cross  the 
river  at  Augusta,  and  from  thence  strike  across  the 
country  to  Millin,  some  sixty  miles  south-east, 
where  we  felt  certain  of  finding  at  least  the  rear 
guard  of  Sherman's  army. 

After  leaving  these  friends  with  fervent  wishes 

for  their  success,  Lemon   and  myself  started  for  a 

swamp  about  a  mile  away,  and,  becoming  a  little 

confused,  another  difference  of  opinion  arose.    Such 

10 


230  THE    CAPTURE,    THE    miSOX  PEN, 

things  will  occur.  Our  no  patience  rested  on  no 
sure  foundation.  The  result  was,  he  took  one  route 
and  I  another.  We  came  together  shortly  after 
ward,  however,  and  forgot  our  differences.  We 
reached  the  swamp,  where  we  secreted  ourselves, 
and  soon  were  gratified  to  see  an  old  sow  with  a 
large  litter  of  pigs  approaching.  We  greeted  them 
otherwise  than  did  wandering  ^Ericas  the  "albasus" 

O 

lying  under  the  hollow  trees  of  ancient  Italy,  —  for, 
enticing  them  with  crumbs  of  hoe-cake,  we  both  in 
unison  struck  one  juvenile  porker  over  the  head 
with  our  heavy  canes.  He  died  easily,  nothing 
more  being  necessary  to  stretch  him  a  lifeless  corpse 
at  our  feet.  No  relative  waited  to  attend  his  funeral. 
Here  Uncle  Zeb's  mammoth  knife  did  excellent  ser 
vice.  We  dug  a  hole  in  the  ground,  and  made  a 
fire  of  pine-knots,  which  soon  became  a  bed  of 
intensely  hot  embers.  Over  this  we  spitted  the 
dressed  carcase  of  the  unfortunate  little  fellow,  and 
after  it  was  done  brown  sat  down  to  a  feast  that 
might  have  tempted  an  epicure.  No  more  luscious 
barbecue  ever  moved  the  salivary  glands  of,  a  Lon 
don  alderman.  This  was  a  peace-offering,  through 
not  strictly  according  to  Levitical  law.  Our  asper 
ities  were  lubicrated  for  that  day. 

We  heard  the  sound  of  an  axe  in  the  distance, 
and  I  crept  cautiously  along  to  reconnoitre.  Found 
it  to  be  a  black  boy,  and,  remembering  Lemon's  PX- 
periencc  of  the  day  before,  I  said,  "Hollo,  Sambo  I" 
His  haA  came  off  suddenly,  but  he  made  no  attempt 
to  run,  The  grinning  imp,  when  he  learned  vho 


AXD    THE   ESCAPE.  231 

we  were,  gladly  led  us  to  a  fodder-Louse  near  by 
for  concealment ;  and  after  dark  a  large  number  of 
colored  boys  and  girls  came  up  to  pay  their  respects. 
They  entertained  us  with  their  views  of  the  war, 
and  proposed  a  prayer-meeting  for  our  especial  ben 
efit  ;  also  told  us  where  to  look  out  for  trouble  from 
bushwhackers,  hounds,  and  so  forth.  Our  parting 
from  these  friendly  people  was  tender  and  aflbcting, 
each  one  shaking  hands,  and  saying,  K  God  bless 
you,  massa ! " 

Following  their  directions,  we  expected  to  strike 
the  railroad  running  from  Charleston  to  Augusta 
on  the  west  side  of  Aiken,  and  pursue  it  west  to 
Augusta ;  but  instead  of  this  we  struck  it  on  the 
east  side,  and  pursued  it  east  toward  Charleston. 


NINTH  DAY. 

ON  THE  SOUTH  CAROLINA  RAILROAD,  EAST  OF  AIKEN,  S.  C.,  ) 


Sunday,  December  4. 

Late  in  the  night  we  passed  through  a  small  vil 
lage  just  as  a  freight  train  was  leaving,  and  tried 
hard  to  find  a  hiding-place  in  one  of  the  cars,  ex 
pecting  to  be  carried  into  Augusta  before  daylight. 
Had  we  succeeded  in  this,  we  would  have  been 
borne  triumphantly  into  Charleston,  and  sent  back 
to  imprisonment.  A  merciful  Providence  directed 
our  way. 

We  followed  this  railroad  all  night.     A  hound* 
was  on  our  track  just  before  morning,  but  he  must 
-have  barked  on  his  own  rash  responsbility,  for  ho 
BOOH  ceased,  and  gave  up  the  chase. 


232  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON  PEN, 

Soon  after  daylight  a  passenger  train  came  sweep* 
ing  along,  loaded  with  Rebel  soldiers.  They  set 
up  an  infernal  shout  as  they  passed ;  and,  fearing 
the  train  might  be  stopped,  we  turned  off  into  some 
scrub-oaks  and  secreted  ourselves.  Here  we  heard 
heavy  cannonading  all  day.  It  came  from  a  south 
easterly  direction,  and  was  the  sweetest  music  we 
had  heard  for  many  an  hour.  It  seemed  as  if  we 
were  in  the  neighborhood  of  friends ;  and  we  took 
heart,  being  hopeful  for  the  future. 

TENTH  DAY. 

SEVENTEEN  MILES  EAST  OP  AIKEX,  S.  C.,  7 
Monday,  December  5.  £ 

All  night  we  travelled  on,  wondering  why  we 
had  not  reached  Augusta,  and  having  suspicions  that 
all  was  not  right.  During  the  day  we  lay  in  a 
thicket.  About  dusk  Lemon  went  in  search  of  ne 
groes,  and  soon  found  some  wood-choppers.  They 
soon  informed  us  of  our  mistake.  We  were  en  route 
for  Charleston,  travelling  east  instead  of  west,  and 
not  having  the  least  desire  to  visit  the  last-named 
city.  Our  distance  east  of  Aiken  was  seventeen 
miles ;  a  bad  mistake,  we  concluded.  But  Provi 
dence  still  seemed  to  favor  us,  for  we  learned  through 
our  colored  friends  that  it  was  possible  to  cross  the 
Savannah  twenty  miles  below  Augusta,  at  a  place 
•called  Point  Comfort.  Our  army  was  marching  on 
Savannah ;  so  we  rather  gained  than  lost  by  our 
mistake. 

Getting  a  supply  of  hoe-cake  and  a  guide  for  a 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  233 

few  miles,  we  started  for  Tinker  Creek  —  a  station 
fifteen  miles  distant,  and  on  the  way  to  Point  Com 
fort.  We  were  in  excellent  spirits,  and  again  under 
took  to  follow  the  voluminous  directions  of  our 
colored  friends. 

ELEVENTH  DAY. 

I 

NEAR  TINKER  CREEK,  S.  C.,  > 
Tuesday,  December  6.        > 

During  the  night  we  came  to  a  fork  in  the  road, 
and,  after  debating  some  time  as  to  which  we  should 
follow,  I  jumped  over  the  fence,  and  made  for  a 
negro  hut,  while  several  hounds  from  the  plantation 
followed  hard  on  my  track.  I  managed,  by  some 
tall  running,  to  come  out  a  few  feet  ahead,  and 
bolted  into  the  shanty  without  warning  or  formality, 
slamming  the  door  behind  me  to  keep  out  the  dogs. 
A  great  stupid  buck  negro  was  standing  in  front  of 
the  fire,  his  hands  and  face  buried  deeply  in  fresh 
pork  and  hoe-cake,  which  he  was  making  poor  work 
of  eating.  His  broad,  fat  countenance  glistened 
with  an  unguent  distilled  partly  from  within  and 
partly  from  without.  Turning  my  eyes  from  the 
negro  to  the  untidy  hearth,  they  were  greeted,  as 
were  also  my  olfactories,  with  a  skillet  of  pork  fry 
ing  over  the  coals.  Without  troubling  him  to 
answer  my  questions,  I  opened  the  mouth  of  my 
haversack,  and  poured  into  it  the  dripping  contents 
of  the  skillet.  I  next  observed  that  the  ashes  on 
the  hearth  had  a  suspiciously  fat  appearance,  and 
taking  the  tongs  began  raking  among  them.  My 


234  THE   CAPTURE,  THE  PRISON  PEN, 

suspicions  were  verified ;  for  two  plump-looking 
hoe-cakes  came  to  light,  which  were  also  deposited 
in  the  haversack. 

Looking  around  still  farther,  I  saw  what  had  not 
been  observed  before  — 

DINAH'S  BLACK  HEAD 

peering  out  from  among  the  bed-clothes,  rolling 
two  of  the  most  astonished  white  eyes  that  ever 
asked  the  question,  "What's  you  g'wine  to  do 
next  ?  "  Not  seeing  any  practical  way  in  which  I 
could  answer  her  mute  question,  I  said  to  Sambo, 
"  Call  the  dogs  into  the  house." 

This  he  did  hastily,  when  I  asked,  "Uncle,  what 
road  must  this  Rebel  take  for  Tinker  Creek  ?  " 

"  De  right  ban'  one,  out  dar,  I  reckon,"  he  an 
swered.  Again  bidding  him  keep  the  hounds  in 
the  house  till  morning,  I  rushed  out  to  the  road, 
and  joined  my  companion.  We  made  lively  time 
for  about  three  miles,  after  which  we  took  it  more 
leisurely,  stopping  to  rest  and  refresh  ourselves  at 
every  stream  that  crossed  the  road. 

The  weather  was  very  cold,  and  we  suffered  much 
from  its  severity  as  soon  as  it  was  necessary  to  lie 
down. 

About  daylight  we  found  shelter  in  a  piece  of 
woods  near  the  roadside,  and  slept  till  ten  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  when  we  were  awakened  by  some 
boys  driving  cows  along  the  road.  Some  of  the 
animals  came  within  a  few  feet  of  us,  but  the  boys 
kept  a  respectful  distance. 


AND   THE   ESCAPE.  235 

Thinking  our  quarters  too  much  exposed,  we 
cautiously  crossed  the  road  and  plunged  into  the 
woods  on  the  other  side. 

About  four  o'clock  r.  M.  we  heard  chopping  in 
the  distance,  and  came  to  a  negro  boy  who  had 
never  seen  a  Yankee,  but  reckoned  it  would  not  be 
very  wrong  to  render  one  a  little  assistance.  Ac 
cordingly,  he  brought  to  our  hiding-place,  in  the 
evening,  several  other  negroes  with  corn-bread, 
bacon,  etc.  One  of  their  number,  an  intelligent 
fellow,  volunteered  to  guide  us  to  a  place  near 
Point  Comfort,  on  Hie  Savannah,  intending  to  re 
turn  before  day  and  be  ready  for  his  labors  without 
exciting  suspicion. 

TWELFTH  DAY. 

NEAR  POINT  COMFORT,  ON  THE  SAVANNAH  RIVER,  » 
Wednesday,  December  7.  3 

Our  guide,  being  in  somewhat  of  a  hurry  to  get 
back  to  his  work,  urged  us  on  more  rapidly  than 
WTC  cared  to  proceed.  Seeing  that  wTe  began  to  lag 
behind,  he  soon  offered  to  frtote"  our  baggage. 
"We,  of  course,  could  not  refuse  so  generous  an 
offer,  fearing  that,  perhaps,  the  effect  of  a  refusal 
might  be  to  chill  the  streams  of  benevolence  flow 
ing  from  his  kindly  heart.  It  is  certain  that  there 
•v^ould  be  no  call  for  kindness,  if  everybody  should 
rsfusc  to  receive  a  kindness.  Not  caring  to  render 
ourselves  obnoxious  to  the  charge  of  banishing 
benevolence  from  the  world,  we  magnanimously 
consented  to  his  proposal. 


236  THE   CAPTURE,  THE  PRISON  PEN, 

But  even  this  effected  his  purpose  none  the  more 
surely,  for  we  were  still  often  far  in  the  rear,  and 
obliged  to  call  on  him  to  travel  more  slowly. 

This  noble-hearted  fellow  led  us  on  for  fifteen 
miles,  and  at  last  secreted  us  in  a  thicket  by  the 
roadside,  not  far  from  a  large  plantation.  Advising 
us  to  find  some  negro  to  take  us  to  the  Savannah, 
which  was  only  three  miles  away,  he  said  good-by, 
and  was  off. 

Morning  revealed  to  us  the  fact  that  we  were 
rather  too  much  exposed  to  be  entirely  safe,  and  as 
we  were  very  thirsty,  with  no  prospect  of  water 
near,  it  was  decided  to  move  farther  into  the  woods. 
This  seemed,  in  a  measure,  to  secure  both  objects. 
A  large  ravine  about  half  a  mile  away,. afforded  an 
abundance  of  water,  and  we  felt  that  it  must  be  a 
more  safe  retreat.  A  negro,  who  came  that  way  with 
an  axe  on  his  shoulder,  informed  us  that  boys  were 
in  the  habit  of  hunting  in  the  woods,  and  that  we 
had  better  seek  a  more  sheltered  place. 

He  pointed  to  a  round  sand  hill  a  short  distance 
away,  on  the  top  of  which  was  a  sort  of  pitfall,  and 
advised  us  to  go  there  —  promising  to  bring  some 
more  negroes  to  us  in  the  evening.  Accordingly, 
we  made  for  the  sand  hill,  and  hid  ourselves  in  the 
pit. 

But  even  this  could  not  escape  the  vigilance  of 
boys,  guided  by  no  purpose  whatever,  but  their 
own  pleasure.  In  the  afternoon,  the}7  came  bound 
ing  over  the  hills  with  a  troop  of  dogs,  hunting 
squirrels,  and  came  within  a  few  feet  of  finding 


AND   THE  ESCAPE.  237 

larger  game.  This  disturbed  us  again,  and  wo 
sought  another  shelter  —  and  so,  in  fear  and  anx 
iety,  spent  the  day. 

At  the  appointed  time  in  the  evening,  the  negroes 
came,  and  one  of  them  piloted  us  to  the  hut  of  some 
colored  fishermen  on  the  Savannah  River,  which  we 
reached  late  in  the  evening. 

THIRTEENTH  DAY. 

IN  A  CYPRESS  SWAMP,  ON  THE  SAVANNAH,  } 
Thursday,  December  28.  $ 

These  fishermen,  who  had  plied  their  trade  before 
the  war,  were  acquainted  with  every  bend  in  the 
river,  and  now  proposed  exercising  their  skill  in 
our  behalf.  On  a  tributary  of  the  Savannah,  about 
a  mile  away  from  their  huts,  there  lay  an  old  cy 
press-tree  canoe,  and  to  this  one  of  their  number 
conducted  us  —  taking  with  him  a  supply  of  cotton 
and  pitch.  This  craft  had  recently  come  under  the 
boat-destroyer's  notice,  and  had  been  pretty  roughly 
handled ;  and  yet  our  colored  friend  thought  he 
could  make  it  sea-worthy.  All  night  long  the  faith 
ful  fellow  worked,  caulking  and  pitching,  while  we 
lay  concealed  in  an  old  hollow  cypress  log.  The 
ring  of  his  hammer  went  out  through  the  forest  as 
if  bidding  a  "  beautiful  defiance  "  to  those  who  had 
destined  his  property. 

Near  morning,  he  seemed  to  have  satisfied  him 
self,  for  throwing  her  into  the  stream,  he  called  out, 
"Now  she's  ready,  massa.  I'll  SOOB  land  you  in 


Georgi/i." 


10* 


238  THE   CAPTURE,  THE  PRISON  PEN, 

The  moon  was  shining  brightly,  and  viewing  the 
shabby  dug-out  by  her  treacherous  light,  I  confess 
to  a  want  of  faith  in  its  ability  to  carry  us  safely  to 
the  other  side. 

We  lost  no  time  in  speculations,  but  resolved  to 
put  the  matter  to  the  test  at  once.  Hastily  taking 
our  seats  in  the  boat,  which  at  once  commenced 
leaking  fearfully,  our  pilot  pulled  for  dear  life, 
while  Lemon  and  myself  lustily  bailed  her  out  with 
a  couple  of  large  gourds.  In  spite  of  our  utmost 
endeavors  the  water  kept  gaining  on  us,  and  when 
within  a  few  rods  of  the  other  side,  seeing  that  she 
was  going  down,  we  sprang  into  the  stream  which 
happened  to  be  shallow,  and  dragged  the  swamping 
boat  up  the  beach. 

A  NARROW  ESCAPE, 

for  had  our  craft  gone  down  when  out  in  the  stream, 
the  alligators  would  have  made  our  chance  of  escape 
rather  slim.  The  Savannah  here  is  about  half  a 
mile  wide.  We  at  once  plunged  into  the  swamp, 
leaving  the  good  negro  wadding  his  boat  with  cot 
ton,  preparatory  to  his  return.  Our  prayer  was 
that  he  might  reach  the  other  side  in  safety,  and 
live  to  send  many  other  poor  fellows  on  their  way 
rejoicing.  We  were  in  the  midst  of  a  Southern 
cypress  swamp.  These  swamps  extend  continu 
ously  along  both  banks  of  the  Savannah,  and  are 
about  three  miles  in  width.  They  are  thickly  inter 
larded  with  bayous  and  small  streams,  and  abound 
in  SEiaJl  lakes  and  ponds.  The  ground  in  the  wet 


AND    THE   EH  CAPE.  239 

4 

season  is  entirely  overflown,  and  it  is  next  to  im 
possible  to  travel  over  it. 

The  cypress-tree,  which  is  the  glory  of  these 
swamps,  grows  to  immense  size.  The  trunk  of  the 
tree  near  the  ground  swells  out  somewhat  like  the 
base  of  a  cone,  terminating  in  huge  roots  that  stand 
widely  apart  —  making  splendid  hiding-places  for 
escaped  prisoners,  etc.  In  cutting  down  these 
trees,  it  is  customary  to  build  a  scaffolding  to  a 
considerable  height  in  order  to  get  above  the 
bulge. 

All  who  have  visited  these  swamps  have  been 
struck  with  the  number  and  appearance  of  the  nat 
ural  stumps  with  which  they  abound.  I  can  call 
them  by  no  other  name.  They  are  all  heights  from 
one  foot  to  ten,  look  like  stumps  at  a  distance,  are 
cone-shaped  and  rounded  at  the  top,  and  the  most 
of  them  are  alive.  The  impression  conveyed  is, 
that  trees  of  full  size  had  commenced  to  grow  from 
the  ground,  and  after  reaching  the  height  of  a  few 
feet  had  changed  their  minds,  and  concluded  that 
they  had  grown  into  a  stump.  Add  to  all  this,  the 
long,  trailing  Spanish  moss  that  burdens  every  tree, 
from  the  sapling  to  the  king  of  the  forest,  and  you 
b  ive  some  idea  of  a  Southern  swamp. 

In  such  a  place  were  wre  —  and  we  wandered 
about  nearly  the  whole  day  in  our  attempts  to  get 
out.  Great  winking 


240  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON    PEN", 

* 

ALLIGATORS 

Lay  along  the  bayous,  and  on  every  cool,  damp  log-, 
watching  our  motions,  apparently  pleased  at  our 
misfortunes,  and  sending  towards  us  loving,  hungry 
glances.  As  soon  as  we  approached,  they  would 
hobble  to  the  water's  edge,  and  apparently  fall  in. 
They,  too,  might  have  belonged  to  some  detach 
ment  of  Southern  chivalry,  doing  duty  on  their  own 
grounds. 

Towards  night  we  came  to  a  corn-field  skirting 
the  swamp  and  rising  towards  the  highlands.  Here 
was  a  most  delightful  spring  of  water,  and  near  it  a 
kettle  of  clothes  boiling.  Expecting  to  see  the 
owners  soon,  we  lay  down  in  the  bushes  and  waited. 
Soon  a  colored  man  came,  found  us  a  hiding-place, 
and  promised  to  meet  us  again  at  eight  o'clock  in 
the  evening. 

While  we  were  waiting  the  washerwoman  re 
turned,  accompanied  by  several  white  children. 
Their  contemptible  little  dog  came  yelping  to  within 
a  few  feet  of  our  place  of  concealment,  while  the 
children  stood  back  urging  him  on.  His  discretion 
proved  the  better  courage,  however,  and  he  became 
tired  eventually,  and  went  away.  In  the  evening 
our  negro  returned  and  conducted  us  to  some  friends 
of  his  a  few  miles  away.  Oil  the  way  we  met  a 
planter,  who  was  a  sort  of  independent  scout.  The 
negro  was  somewhat  in  advance,  and  when  the 
planter  stopped  him,  we  skulked  behind  some  logs 
and  were  not  observed. 


AND   THE  ESCAPE.  241 

The  whites  were  on  the  alert  at  this  time,  as  it 
was  only  a  short  time  since  "Mr.  Kilpatrick's  com 
pany  had  flogged  Mr.  Wheeler's  company  right 
bad,"  clown  at  Wayncsboro',  only  a  few  miles  dis 
tant,  as  our  colored  friends  informed  us.  Cavalry 
men  were  patrolling  the  roads  during  the  whole 
night,  and  we  began  to  feel  the  necessity  of  the 
greatest  caution. 

Our  guide  led  us  to  a  field  a  short  distance  from 
some  negro  huts,  and  made  our  whereabouts  known 
to  the  occupants.  Soon  some  negroes  came  out 
with  a  generous  supply  of  hot  griddle-cakes.  Wo 
left  this  place  after  a  brief  halt,  with  a  guide  who 
knew  where  the  pickets  were  stationed,  and  travelled 
cautiously  on  towards  Brier  Creek,  a  stream  about 
eighteen  miles  distant  in  the  direction  of  Millin. 

FOURTEENTH  DAY. 

NEAR  BRTER  CREEK,  GA.,  > 
Friday,  December  9.     5 

Our  guide  left  us  before  morning  secreted  in  a 
thicket  at  a  fork  of  the  road,  about  four  miles  from 
Brier  Creek.  Being  weary,  we  soon  fell  asleep. 
Nothing  occurred  to  disturb  our  slumbers,  but  when 
we  awoke  sentinels  were  guarding  us. 

Four  large  hounds  stood  looking  down  on  us  with 
an  air  of  calmness  and  responsibility,  snuffing  occa 
sionally  to  know  whether  we  had  the  scent  of  game. 
After  we  awoke  they  seemed  to  consider  their  guar 
dianship  at  an  end,  and,  walking  around  us  a  little 
in  the  most  natural  manner  imaginable,  they  quietly, 


242  THE   CAPTURE,   THE  PRISON 

and  with  much  show  of  dignity,  swaggered  away 
without  deeming  it  worth  while  to  salute  us.  We 
were  not  deeply  offended  by  their  silenee. 

A  large  cavalry  patrol  passed  near  us,  and  judging 
it  not  safe  to  be  very  demonstrative,  we  ate  our 
sweet  potatoes  raw  —  they  composing  our  only  ra 
tions.  A  lire  was  out  of  the  question. 

"Wo  had,  up  to  that  time,  no  information  with 
regard  to  General  Sherman's  army.  The  bridges 
across  all  the  principal  streams  were  either  broken 
down,  or  heavily  guarded,  to  check  the  advance  of 
raiding  parties.  The  planters  drove  their  stock  far 
into  the  swamps,  and  remained  with  it  during  the 
day,  returning  at  night  to  their  plantations. 

An  old  woman  came  down  into  the  swamp  in 
plain  sight  of  us,  and  called  her  "critters"  together 
to  feed  them.  "We  would  gladly  have  answered  the 
call  for  ration's  sake,  had  it  been  prudent. 

Found  an  old  darkey  near  our  hiding-place  split 
ting  rails,  and  warmed  ourselves  a  few  moments  at 
his  fire,  as  it  was  very  cold  and  raining  fiercely, 
after  which  we  sought  our  shelter  again,  and  made 
M  roof  of  our  blankets  to  keep  off  the  rain.  This 
old  friend  promised  to  find  us  in  the  evening,  and 
bring  some  hoe-cake.  What  was  best  of  all,  ho 
could  repair  my  shoes.  These  old  shoes,  like  many 
other  unimportant  looking  things,  have  a  history. 
Shortly  after^my  capture  I  wras  relieved  of  my  cav 
alry  boots,  and  a  pair  of  pasted  shoes  given  me, 
which  yielded  to  the  first  moisture  and  left  me 
worse  than  barefoot.  A  fellow-prisoner  having  re- 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  245 

ccivcd  a  remittance  of  good  things  from  home, 
among  them  a  pair  of  boots,  kindly  presented  me 
with  his  shoes.  Smile  not,  gentle  reader,  at  the 
gift,  for  to  me  they  were  invaluable ;  and  with 
these  I  marched  many  weary  miles, .although  they 
were  patched  and  wired  together  until  little  re 
mained  of  their  former  substance,  and  now  they 
were  well-ni^h  gone.  Cuffee  took  them  home, 

c       c 

and  spent  the  greater  part  of  the  night  in  making 
them  answer  their  appointed  end.  A  piece  of. 'pos 
sum  skin  formed  the  uppers,  which  was  nicely 
tucked  under.  The  whole  shoe  was  covered  with 
the  skin,  and  a  slit  cut  in  the  top,  in  the  right 
place,  or  somewhere  near  it,  to  admit  the  foot.  I 
was  disposed  to  find  fault  at  first  with  their  generous 
dimensions,  but  soon  learned,  partly  from  the  good 
darkey  and  partly  from  experience,  that  the  cobbler 
knew  best,  for  the  'possum  skin,  though  soft  and 
pliable  when  moist,  is  hard  and  wrinkled  as  a  horn 
when  dry. 

This  man  took  us  in  the  evening  to  the  negro 
quarters,  and  the  warm-hearted  black  insisted  on 
our  staying  with  them  all  night,  as  it  was  cold  and 
rainy. 

FIFTEENTH    DAY. 

NEAR  GODBEY'S  BRIDGE,  FIVE  MILES  FROM  ALEXANDER,  GA.,  > 
Saturday,  December  10.  $ 

Before  morning  our  negro  friends  conducted  us 
back  to  the  swamp,  where  we  passed  another  gloomy, 
disagreeable  day.  The  rain  kept  drizzling  from 


246  THE    CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON  PEN, 

morning  till  night.  We  had  nothing  to  eat  but  an 
ear  of  dry  corn  picked  up  on  an  old  camping  ground, 
and  refused  by  some  aristocratic  horse. 

Our  black  cobbler  came  at  night  and  accompanied 
us  to  Brier  Creek,  which  we  crossed  at  Godbey's 
Bridge,  and  thence  proceeded  wearily  to  Alexander. 
Lemon  knocked  at  a  poor  white  woman's  shanty  to 
inquire  the  road  to  Millin ;  but  she  knew  nothing 
about  it. 

Near  Alexander  was  a  shanty  about  one  hundred 
feet  in  length,  used  as  the  quarters  of  negroes  em 
ployed  in  the  Confederate  iron-works  which  were 
near.  This  building  we  reconnoitred  for  half  an 
hour,  and  then  entered.  Fortune  favored  us  —  they 
were  all  negroes,  and  taking  directions  as  to  our 
route,  we  pushed  on. 


AND   THE  ESCAPE.  247 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE   ESCAPE — FOLLOWING  THE   KEBEL   AEMY 
IN  GEORGIA. 

SIXTEENTH  DAY. 

BETWEEN  STATION  No.  1  AND  MILLIN,  GA., 
Sunday,  December  11. 

ABOUT  midnight,  a  large  creek  stopped  our  fur 
ther  progress.  Here  was  a  dilemma.  A  faithful 
search  could  discover  no  bridge,  nor  fallen  logs  from 
apposite  sides,  as  sometimes  happens,  nor  any  other 
means  of  crossing.  The  night  was  bitterly  cold,  so 
that  ice  formed  plentifully  on  still  water.  There 
seemed  to  be  no  other  way  but  to  wade. 

Sitting  on  a  log  and  ruminating  over  our  chances, 
a  very  seliish  piece  of  strategy  suggested  itself. 
Accordingly  I  said  to  Lemon,  "There  is  no  use  of 
both  getting  wet ;  we  can  carry  each  other  over 
these  streams.  If  you  will  carry  me  over  this,  I  will 
carry  you  over  the  next."  I  said  "  these  streams," 
although  only  one  was  before  us,  and  the  most 
prominent  thought  in  my  mind  was,  that  in  all 
probability  there  would  be  no  more. 

Lemon  some  how  failed  to  see  the  point,  and 
consented.  Accordingly,  taking  off  our  shoes,  I 
mounted  on  the  lieutenant's  shoulders,  a-s  school- 


248  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON  PEN, 

bo}Ts  sometimes  carry  each  other,  and  he  staggered 
through  the  stream  with  me,  doing  no  worse  than 
wetting  my  feet.  This  worked  well.  I  congratu 
lated  myself,  and  gave  a  generous  sympathy  to 
Lemon  in  his  shiverings.  The  chances  were  ten  to 
one,  I  thought,  tltfit  the  carrying  business  was  at  an 
end,  when  suddenly  another  stream,  wider  than  the 
first,  rose  up  in  the  darkness  before  us.  There  was 
no  use  in  wincing,  and  I  stripped  for  the  task.  The 
lieutenant  "  ascended  to  the  position  he  had  fairly 
earned."  I  plunged  into  the  water.  The  middle 
of  the  stream  was  reached  in  safety,  when,  through 
no  fault  of  mine,  either  the  water  became  too  deep, 
or  my  back  became  too  weak  for  the  burden,  and 
the  consequence  wras,  the  worthy  gentleman  was 
nearly  as  well  soaked  as  myself  when  we  reached 
the  opposite  shore.  Selfishness,  as  well  as  virtue, 
sometimes  brings  its  own  reward. 

"We  crossed  three  other  streams  that  night,  and 
as  a  result  of  our  past  experience  chose  unanimously 
to  do  our  own  wading.  Thus  another  grand  scheme 
for  human  elevation  fell  to  the  ground. 

Wet  and  weary  we  continued  our  tramp  until  near 
daylight,  when  quarters  for  the  day  were  chosen  in 
a  cypress  swamp  close  by  a  road  over  which  General 
Kilpatrick's  cavalry  and  the  Fourteenth  Army  Corps 
had  marched,  but  a  week  before. 

There  were  evident  traces  of  their  presence.  The 
fences  were  gone,  or  lay  half-consumed  by  the  road 
side.  Buildings  were  still  smoking  in  the  distance 
or  standing  charred  and  blackened.  The  ground 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  249 

I 

was  covered  with  ears  of  corn,  torn  haversacks  ana 
blankets,  "hard-tack"  boxes,  broken  muskets,  dead 
horses,  etc. 

Being  exhausted  with  fatigue,  we  slept  the  whole 
day  without  disturbance,  as  we  did  also  the  next 
night,  not  awaking  until  nearly  day. 

SEVENTEENTH  DAY. 

IN  A  SWAMP  ox  THE  SAVANNAH  ELVER  ROAD,  > 
Monday,  December  12.  $ 

Having  wasted  the  greater  part  of  the  night,  we 
determined,  at  all  hazards,  to  make  it  good  by  trav 
elling  during  the  day."  And  yet  the  streams  were 
so  high  that  little  progress  could  be  made. 

We  were  evidently  on  Gen.  Sherman's  trail, 
though  he  was  six  days  in  advance  of  us.  In  our 
physical  and  mental  weakness,  we  wondered  whether 
the  good  man  would  halt  if  he  knew  we  were  in 
pursuit  of  him.  We  thought  he  would  at  least 
send  a  detachment  to  bring  us  to  his  lines.  Suf 
fering  soldiers  can  scarcely  be  induced  to  think 
anything  of  more  importance  than  their  preserva 
tion.  We  determined  to  turn  from  the  road  to 
Millin,  and  follow  the  trail  of  the  army. 

Hounds  were  on  our  track  at  one  time  during 
the  day.  Had  the  wretches  known  how  little  there 
was  left  of  us,  they  would  have  given  up  the  pur 
suit  as  fruitless,  or  meatless  at  least.  It  may  be 
that  they  suspected  this,  for  we  were  not  pursued  far. 
It  was  much  safer  travelling  just  here  than  it  had 
been  previously ;  for  as  a  general  thing,  Sherman's 


250  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON 

» 

boys  had  killed  all  the  hounds  in  their  march,  as 
they  had  heard  of  their  being  used  tox  overtake, 
escaped  prisoners.  Most  of  the  Rebels,  also,  had 
been  either  carried  or  frightened  out  of  the  country. 

One  old  sinner  had  unfortunately  escaped,  and 
we  heard  of  him  as  hunting  Yankees  on  his  own 
responsibility,  and  gave  him  a  wide  berth.  It  may 
have  been  his  hounds  that  followed  us.  Nothing 
could  be  more  desirable  in  escaping  under  such  cir 
cumstances  than  to  have  a  small  quantity  of  strych 
nine  along.  There  would  generally  be  means  of 
making  it  an  acceptable  offering  to  the  dogs. 

We  turned  from  the  road  into  a  piece  of  woods 
about  four  o'clock,  and  as  the  country  was  smoking 
in  all  directions,  did  not  hesitate  to  make  a  fire  and 
lie  down  on  the  grass  beside  it.  During  our  sleep 
the  fire  had  crept  along  the  grass  and  laid  hold  of 
my  pantaloons  ;  and  when  I  awoke  the  outside  seam 
of  the  leg  next  the  fire  was  burned  completely  out. 
The  fire  had  formed  appropriate  food  in  the  dry 
furze  accumulated  there,  and  so  ran  along  it  as  it 
would  run  along  a  fence.  Some  strings  from  our 
large  tow  haversack  served  to  sew  the  burnt  edges 
together,  and  by  nine  in  the  evening  we  were  again 
ready  to  take  up  our  march. 

EIGHTEENTH  DAY. 

SlXTY  MILES  NORTH  OF  SAVANNAH,  ") 

Tuesday,  December  13.         $ 

Continued  to  follow  on  in  the  trail  of  our  army. 
We  were  without  food,  and  sorely  pressed  with 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  251 

hunger.  Now  and  then  we  could  find  an  ear  of  corn, 
left  by  a  Rebel  cavalryman.  In  the  kttcr  part  of 
the  night  we  stopped  at  a  plantation,  and,  seeing  no 
plantation  house,  concluded  they  were  all  negro 
huts.  Approaching  the  most  respectable  looking 
one,  I  rapped  at  the  door,  when  some  one  sang  out, 
"Whose  thar?" 

From  the  answer,  I  was  unable  to  guess  whether 
the  occupants  were  black  or  white,  and  accordingly 
said,  "Are  you  black  or  white  in  there?" 

The  answer,  "  There  ain't  no  niggers  here  ;  "  and 
the  very  indignant  tone  satisfied  me  that  I  had  fallen 
upon  some  "poor  white  trash,"  as  they  are  familiarly 
called. 

Determined  to  have  something  to  eat,  at  all 
events,  besides  being  anxious  to  learn  something  of 
our  course,  I  assumed  a  tone  of  offended  dignity, 
and  summoned  the  speaker  to  the  door,  I  demanded, 
in  the  name  of  an  injured  Rebel  officer  wThy  he  was 
not  forthcoming  at  once. 

Upon  meeting  "mine  host,"  I  soon  found  he  had 
seen  his  best  days  ;  and  feeling  quite  at  home,  asked 
how  long  since  our  army  had  passed. 

"What  army?"  he  inquired,  as  if  to  make  sure 
of  no  mistake. 

"The  Rebel  army,  of  course,"  I  replied.  lie 
then  told  me  Wheeler's  cavalry  had  passed  a  week 
since,  in  pursuit  of  Sherman's  rear-guard. 

"  Can  you  tell  me  how  far  it  is  to  Wheeler's  head 
quarters?"  I  asked. 


252  THE   CAPTURE i    THE   PRISON  PEN, 

"  Indeed,  I  cannot,"  he  answered  ;  "  but  I  reckon 
it's  a  right  smart  distance,  sir." 

"Are  there  any  horses  or  mules  in  the  neighbor 
hood?"  I  asked. 

"Not  one,"  he  replied,  "the  cursed  Yankees  have 
cleaned  us  out,  and  done  gone  with  our  last  piece 
of  bread." 

"Well,  come  now,  uncle,  can't  you  give  this 
Rebel  something  to  eat  ?  " 

"No,"  he  returned;  "there  is  not  a  mouthful  in 
the  pantry,  we  are  whipped  clean  out." 

"  I  know  better,  sir,"  I  said  ;  "  you  have  bacon 
and  sweet  potatoes ;  you  must  shell  out  or  I  shall 
have  to  help  myself."  Rebel  wishing  to  shirk  the 
responsibility  of  a  falsehood  from  his  own  shoulders, 
called  to  Mrs.  Rebel  to  know  if  there  was  anything 
eatable  on  the  premises ;  to  which  she  replied,  "  I 
reckon  you  will  find  something  in  the  pantry  ;  "  and 
in  a  moment  more  my  rebellious  friend  returned 
with  a  small  bit  of  bread  and  two  sweet  potatoes. 
After  receiving  which,  I  delivered  him  a  lecture 
upon  his  treatment  of  a  soldier  who  had  ventured 
all  upon  the  defence  of  his  country  ;  telling  him  he 
was  unworthy  the  cause  he  had  espoused,  and  that 
his  patriotism  did  not  reach  to  his  pockets,  to  say 
nothing  of  his  falsehood  and  mean  attempts  to 
defraud  me  of  a  breakfast. 

Expressing  the  hope  that  I  should  find  him  a  bet 
ter  Rebel  when  we  again  met,  I  hurried  off  to  Lemon, 
who  was  still  waiting  by  the  road,  and  shared  our 


THE   ESCAPE.  ZO3 

hard-earned  meal  with  an  appetite  well  whetted  by 
hunger. 

Pushing  on  at  a  rapid  pace  in  the  direction  of  our 
army,  we  spied  a  person  crossing  the  road  a  short 
distance  before  us,  and  as  the  whites  seldom  stir 
before  daylight,  our  first  conclusion  was  that  we  had 
found  a  colored  friend,  but  were  soon  undeceived 
by  discovering  a  burly-looking  white  man.  After 
passing  the  compliments  of  the  morning,  we  inquired 
how  long  since-  our  cavalry  passed.  "  Last  Tues 
day,  "he  replied  ;  and  not  wishing  to  detain  him,  we 
proceeded  on  our  way,  grateful  that  our  uniforms 
were  hidden  under  our  blankets,  which  answered  at 
once  as  overcoats  and  a  good  disguise. 

Leaving  planter  Xo.  2,  to  his  own  reflections, 
we  reached  a  swamp  at  daybreak.  Here  met  two 
negroes  going  to  their  work,  and  after  a  "  Good- 
morning,  boys,"  inquired  the  distance  to  the  next 
plantation. 

"Just  a  mile  from  this  swamp,  massa." 

"Arc  there  any  white  people  there?"  we  asked. 

"Not  one,  massa. 

DE    PLANTER    WAS   A   BUSHWHACKER, 

And  Mr.  Sherman's  company  took  'em  all  off." 

Wishing  to  have  my  stories  of  the  morning  Agree, 
and  not  knowing  how  soon  they  would  be  tested,  1 
did  not  think  it  necessary  to  make  myself  known 
to  my  colored  friends,  but  asked  whether  they  had 
seen  any  of  W heeler's  cavalry  of  late. 


254  THE    CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON  PEN, 

"There's  a  right  smart  of  'em  clown  at  Massa 
Brown's  three  miles  from  de  swamp,  and  cley's  hazin' 
about  de  country  in  ebery  direction." 

Feeling  a  little  uneasy  after  the  above  information, 
we  started  for  the  plantation  described.  As  we 
hove  in  sight,  I  saw  the  house  was  closed,  but  that 
smoke  was  rising  from  a  hut  in  the  grounds  —  so 
made  for  it  in  double-quick  time ;  walked  up  to 
and  opened  the  door  without  hesitation,  when  to  my 
surprise  and  horror,  I  beheld 

A    REBEL    OFFICER, 

Standing  before  the  fire.  Without  the  least  hesi 
tancy  I  advanced,  gave  him  the  military  salute  and 
said,  "I  see  you,  too,  are  in  the  service,  sir;  but 
hope,  like  myself,  you  have  not  been  unfortunate." 

"How  unfortunate  may  you  have  been,  sir?"  he 
aske'd.  Now  I  might  have  stated  all  the  mishaps  of 
my  life  ;  but  only  quietly  said,  "  I  was  in  the  cav 
alry  fight  at  AVaynesboro'  the  other  clay,  had  my 
horse  shot  from  under  me,  failed  to  get  remounted, 
and  have  walked  the  entire  distance  to  this  place." 

"I  reckon  our  cases  are  not  unlike,  after  all,"  he 
rejoined ;  "  I  had  my  horse  shot  there,  too,  but 
luckily  got  a  mule  ; "  and,  stepping  to  the  door,  he 
pointed  out  his  long-eared  animal,  eating  hay  at  the 
gate. 

Fearing  he  might  get  the  start  of  me,  I  asked  to 
what  command  he  belonged. 

"  The  Fifty-third  Alabama  Mounted  Infantry,"  he 
returned  ;  and  then  inquired  my  regiment. 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  255 

"The  Third  South-Carolina  Cavalry ," I" said  ;  and 
true  it  was,  that  my  last  service  was  in  that  State. 

I  was  careful  to  name  some  other  State  than  Ala 
bama,  as  he  would  be  better  posted  with  regard  to 
the  regiments  of  his  own  State  than  those  of  any 
other.  Lernon,  during  this  time  was  walking  un 
easily  backwards  and  forwards  in  front  of  the  gate. 
He  once  carelessly  remarked  that  we  had  better  be 
going,  but  I  thought  haste  would  be  the  ruina 
tion  of  us,  and  so  occupied  a  few  minutes  more  in 
recounting  the  barbarities  of  General  Sherman's 
army,  remarking,  "  Now  we  have  him  just  where 
we  want  him  —  between  two  swamps  ;  and  when  he 
is  thoroughly  starved  out  we  shall  catch  him  easy 
enough." 

The  lieutenant  seemed  to  indorse  my  remarks, 
notwithstanding  my  blue  clothes ;  and  just  as  I 
thought  his  suspicions  fully  allayed  he  remarked 
K  that  it  was  strange  for  a  gentleman  of  my  profes 
sions  to  be  dressed  in  Federal  colors." 

I  returned,  "It  is  not  strange  at  all,  sir.  A  poor 
fellow  must  wear  what  he  can  get  in  these  times.  I 
have  not  had  a  full  equipment  since  I  came  into  the 
service,  and  I  never  expect  one.  You  know,  in  the 
fight  at  Wayncsboro'  we  captured  a  few  Yanks ;  and 
I  just  stripped  a  dead  one,  and  appropriated  his 
attire  to  myself." 

"A  good  idea,"  he  said,  pointing  to  his  tattered 
pants  ;  "I  wish  I  had  been  as  sensible." 

My  poor  stomach  had  gained  nothing  during  this 


11 


256  THE    CAPTURE,    THE    PRISON   PEN, 

interview,  so  I  asked,  "  Do  you  suppose  aur;ty 
could  give  me  some  breakfast  ?  " 

"I  reckon  not,  stranger,"  he  returned  ;  "the  Yanks 
have  done  gone  with  all  the  corn  on  this  plantation  ; 
but  if  you  will  go  down  to  Mr.  Brown's,  you  can 
get  all  tyou  ask  for.  He  was  a  good  Union  man 
when  General  Sherman  passed  through,  £nd  on  that 
account  had  a  guard  set  over  his  property ;  then, 
when  our  army  came  along  he  was  all  Secesh." 

"Well,  sir,  I  shall  be  at  Mr.  Brown's  without 
delay,  and  shall  be  happy  to  breakfast  with  you 
there.  How  far  do  you  call  it  to  his  plantation? " 

"About  two  sights  and  a  jambye,"  he  returned  > 
in  true  Rebel  parlance. 

A  "  sight "  was  as  far  as  one  could  see  in  that 
broken  country,  while  a  "jambye"  was  nothing 
more  than  a  swamp  —  neither  of  the  terms  being  a 
very  accurate  measure  of  distance. 

The  good  officer  also  informed  me  it  was  fifty-two 
miles  to  Savannah,  twenty-five  to  Wheeler's  head 
quarters,  and  about  thirty-five  to  the  rear  of  Sher 
man's  army  ;  adding, tf  It's  a  smart  walk  you'll  have, 
I  reckon. 

With  a  hearty,  "  Thank  you,  sir,  and  a  good-morn 
ing  ;  we  shall  meet  you  at  Mr.  Brown's,"  we  left 
him,  and  kept  the  road  until  entirely  out  of  his 
range,  when  we  suddenly  struck  into  a  swamp. 
Messrs.  Brown  &  Co.  may  be  still  waiting  that 
breakfast  for  us,  for  aught  I  know ;  mry  they  wait 
and  watch  with  due  patience. 

We  made  rapid  strides  for  a  mile  or  more,  and 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  257 

finally  concealed  ourselves  in  some  bushes.  Seeing 
a  smoke  in  the  woods,  we  crept  towards  it,  and 
found  a  black  man  and  his  wife  lying  by  the  fire. 
After  arousing  them,  we  learned  their  history. 

They  had  followed  General  Sherman's  army  from 
Burke  County,  Ga.,  and  being  encamped  on  an 
island  in  Big  Ebenezer  Creek,  with  four  or  five 
hundred  others,  were  shelled  out  by  the  Rebels,  and 
compelled  to  seek  safety  by  flight  into  the  swamps. 

In  this  way  they  lost  his  trail,  and  reasoning  that 
if  the  slaves  were  all  emancipated  they  should  be 
free  when  the  war  ended,  without  any  trouble  of 
their  own,  they  were  going  back  to  their  masters. 

We  were  at  this  time  without  food  and  very 
hungry,  and  as  our  colored  friends  had  nothing  but 
a  little  shelled  corn,  we  lent  Sambo  our  haversack 
and  sent  him  to  find  some  negroes,  detaining  Dinah 
as  a  hostage  for  his  safe  return.  He  rather  objected 
to  the  risk  of  such  an  expedition,  but  as  we  were 
very  urgent,  at  last  complied,  while  we  sat  roasting 
and  eating  corn  during  his  absence.  He  brought 
back  some  sweet  potatoes,  which  were  in  no  way 
objectionable. 

Very  soon  the  worthy  couple  decided,  after  a 
little  persuasion  on  our  part,  that  they  were  not  in 
very  safe  quarters,  and  consequently  left  us  in  full 
possession  of  the  fire  and  potatoes,  the  latter  of 
which  we  roasted  in  the  former.  Here  we  spent 
the  remainder  of  the  day  and  the  early  part  of  the 
following  night. 


258  THE    CAPTURE,    THE   PRISON  FEIT, 

NINETEENTH  DAY. 

ON  THE  SAVANNAH  RIVER  ROAD, 
Wednesday,  December  14. 

We  did  not  travel  much  till  after  midnight,  when 
we  pursued  our  way  without  interruption  till  day 
light  ;  then  turned  into  a  swamp.  We  heard  the 
sound  of  an  axe.  Early  in  the  afternoon  Lemon 
went  to  reconnoitre,  while  I  sat  down  to  write  in  my 
journal.  I  had  no  pencil  of  my  owrn,  but  Lemon  had 
a  short  piece  which  he  kindly  lent  me.  Having  no 
knife,  I  was  obliged  to  sharpen  it  by  picking  the 
wood  away  from  the  lead  with  my  finger  nails. 

Soon  Lemon  returned  in  extreme  consternation. 
Seeing  a  negro,  he  had  walked  boldly  up  to  him, 
when,  to  his  utter  dismay,  he  saw  a  great  burly, 
white  man  sitting  on  a  log.  Springing  from  the 
log,  the  planter  demanded  almost  in  a  fury,  "What 
are  you  doing  here,  in  a  blue  uniform?" 

The  lieutenant  replied,  "  I  am  serving  my  coun 
try,  as  every  loyal  man  should  be." 

The  planter  then  said,  "I  believe  you're  a  damned 
Yankee." 

Lemon  returned  the  gallant  answer,  "  You  are 
welcome  to  your  opinion,  old  Blowhard,  —  this  is  a 
free  country.  I  am  a  Yankee  —  all  but  the  damned 
—  and  what  do  you  propose  to  do  about  it?" 

"We'll  see,  we'll  see,"  said  the  planter,  and  at 
the  same  time  started  hurriedly  toward  the  house. 
Lemon  came  back  double-quick,  and  we  suddenly 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  261 

decamped,  supposing  of  course,  that  the  planter  had 
gone  for  his  gun  and  hounds. 

Taking  the  sun  for  a  guide,  we  set  off  in  a  south 
easterly  direction,  and  did  not  venture  to  halt  before 
dark.  " 

We  were  pursued  by  hounds  for  more  than  two 
miles,  but  struck  a  stream  of  water,  and  waded  up 
a  half  mile  to  evade  our  pertinacious  followers. 
This  put  them  off  the  scent,  as  it  usually  did.  The 
cowardly  old  stay-at-home  had  been  true  to  his  in 
stincts.  Nature  had  printed  no  lie  on  his  face.  He 
might  have  taken  Lemon  by  the  collar,  and  walked 
him  off  to  his  home  as  he  would  a  negro  boy ;  but 
his  big  fists  had  no  manly  courage  to  back  them, 
and  he  lost  his  prey. 

During  our  run  we  found  some  ears,  of  corn  and 
a  piece  of  pork,  left  by  the  army.  The  meat  was 
badly  tainted,  but  no  matter  —  it  was  no  time  to  be 
fastidious.  Making  a  small  fire,  we  roasted  it  and 
made  a  good  meal.  There  was  no  prospect  of  bet 
ter,  for  the  country  was  thoroughly  stripped,  and 
there  were  very  few  negroes  to  befriend  us. 

Several  planters  galloped  along  to  take  possession 
of  Sherman's  corduroy  road  through  the  swamp 
just  ahead,  thinking,  no  doubt,  that  we  could  not 
possibly  find  another  passage  through  it.  This  put 
us  on  our  guard,  and  lying  low  till  late  in  the  night, 
we  determined  to  flank  their  position. 


262  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON  PEN, 

TWENTIETH  DAY. 

IN  A  SWAMP  NEA.R  BIG  EBENEZER  CREEK,  > 
Thursday,  December  15.         $ 

Began  about  ten  o'clock  to  creep  cautiously  up  to 
the  edge  of  the  swamp.  Soon  discovered  a  large 
fire.  This  gave  us  their  locality,  and  in  the  dark 
ness  we  began  to  wade  through  the  mud  and  water 
on  their  left  flank.  It  was  a  terrible  undertaking, 
but  there  was  no  alternative.  Sometimes  in  to  our 
armpits,  we  continued  to  push  our  way  through. 
"We  were  never  further  from  the  picket  than  fifteen 
rods,  and  on  account  of  stopping  to  rest,  and  the 
obstacles  in  the  way,  were  about  two  hours  in  going 
two  hundred  yards.  Several  other  pickets  were 
passed  during  the  night ;  in  fact,  we  approached 
so  near  as  to  hear  their  conversation ;  but  as  the 
ground  was  firmer,  had  no  difficulty  in  turning  their 
flank.  The  last  was  passed  at  the  edge  of  the 
swamp  skirting  the  Big  Ebenezer  Creek.  This 
swamp  was  corduroyed,  and  had  been  passed  through 
by  a  portion  of  General  Sherman's  army. 

On  either  side  of  the  road  the  land  was  entirely 
submerged,  and  it  was  not  among  things  possible  to 
travel  through  it.  Three  miles  or  more  brought  us 
to  the  stream,  which  was  very  wide. 

The  bridge  had  been  burned,  and  we  stood  on 
the  charred  abutment,  surrounded  by  water,  with  no 
visible  means  of  making  a  crossing.  Although 
inspection  did  not  bring  to  light  anything  satisfac 
tory,  daylight  war  just  coming,  and  through  tho 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  263 

rising  mists  we  could  see  the  opposite  shore.  Were 
there  friends  there,  or  foes?  We  did  not  know. 
A  sense  of  desolation  came  over  us.  A  broad  river 
lay  before  us  and  an  impenetrable  swamp  all  around* 
and  we  possessing  not  even  a  pocket-knife  to  aid  us. 
We  thought  of  secreting  ourselves,  and  stealing  back 
past  the  pickets  at  night,  to  get  boards  with  which 
to  construct  a  raft.  Just  how  this  was  to  be  done 
we  did  not  know ;  but  it  was  a  plan,  and  better  than 
no  plan  at  all. 

Accordingly,  we  began  searching  for  a  place  of 
concealment.  In  walking  back  along  the  road  tow 
ard  the  picket  we  saw  what  had  the  appearance  of 
being  a  walk  of  logs  leading  out  into  the  swamp. 
Following  along  this,  and  jumping  from  log  to  log, 
we  soon  came  to  an  island,  or  elevated  bit  of  ground, 
in  the  midst  of  the  swamp.  No  discussion  was 
needed  to  determine  that  this  was  the  place  we  were 
looking  for.  Men  had  evidently  rested  there  before. 
There  were  pieces  of  garments,  and  ashes  of  fires. 
Weary  with  our  tramp  of  more  than  twenty  miles, 
we  soon  fell  asleep.  Our  nap  was  short,  however. 
Lemon  soon  shook  me,  saying  that  he  had  heard  a 
noise  like  the  sound  of  oars  falling  into  a  boat. 

O 

Most  are  familiar  with  this  peculiar  ringing  sound. 
Wide  awake  then,  we  watched  the  road,  and  soon 
Baw  two  Rebel  couriers  pass  along  with  papers  in 
their  hands.  Waiting  till  they  were  well  past,  we 
crept  out,  and  watched  them  till  they  were  out  of 
Bight,  when  we  went  down  to  the  river's  edge. 


264  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON  PEN, 

Here  we  found  a  boat  with  two  broken  paddles 
pushed  up  among  the  trees  in  the  swamp. 

Seeing  the  coast  apparently  elear  on  the  opposite 
side,  it  was  only  the  work  of  a  moment  to  get  it 
back  into  the  stream.  There  was  no  quarrelling  for 
the  post  of  honor;  each  took  what  his  hand  first 
reached,  and  we  were  soon  standing  "on  the  other 
shore."  A  hurried  pull  of  the  boat  up  the  beach 
and  we  were  away.  Following  the  corduroy  we 
soon  came  to  two  horses  tied  under  the  trees. 
These  evidently  belonged  to  the  couriers.  It  was  a 
hazardous  affair  throughout,  and  thinking  the  dan 
ger  would  be  no  greater  on  horseback  than  on  foot, 
we  borrowed  the  gentlemen's  horses. 

It  was  a  splendid  ride.  Two  miles  or  more  we 
sailed  along,  when,  the  country  becoming  more 
open,  we  reluctantly  slipped  bridles,  and  let  the 
noble  animals  loose  to  grass. 

Turning  into  the  woods  we  soon  heard  voices  in 
the  distance.  They  proved  to  be  Eebel  pickets. 
Fearing  to  venture  any  more  that  day,  we  found  a 
close  retreat,  and  lay  down  for  the  day,  employing 
our  waking  hours  in  eating  corn  from  the  cob  —  our 
only  diet  for  several  days.  Slept  till  nearly  mid 
night,  and  then,  flanking  the  picket,  pursued  our 
way. 


AND   THE   ESCAPE.  265 


CHAPTEE    XV. 

RE-CAPTURED  BY  A  REBEL  PICKET. 

TWENTY-FIRST  DAY. 

TWENTY  MILES  FROM  SAVANNAH,  GA.  > 
Friday,  December  6.  > 

"WHILE  lying  in  our  hiding-place  near  Big  Eben- 
ezer  Creek,  we  congratulated  ourselves  on  our 
escapes  thus  far,  and  felt  as  though  our  toils  and 
marches  were  nearly  over.  Our  hearts  beat  high 
with  delight  at  the  thought  that  we  were  near  the 
Federal  lines,  for  we  knew  that  at  the  utmost  it 
could  be  but  a  few  hours'  walk  to  Sherman. 

Feeling  thus  elated,  we  left  our  place  of  conceal 
ment  with  joyous  hearts,  although  we  had  been 
without  rations  for  more  than  thirty-six  hours,  and 
were  unable  to  obtain  either  guides  or  information 
with  regard  to  the  situation  of  our  armies.  In  fact, 
we  were  groping  about  like  blind  men  —  driven 
from  point  to  point  by  the  yelping  of  hounds  or  the 
movements  of  troops. 

The  Little  Ebenezer  was  reached  about  midnight, 
and  to  our  chagrin  we  found  the  bridge  destroyed. 
After  reconnoitring  a  few  moments,  to  ascertain, 
if  possible,  whether  there  was  a  picket  on  the  oppo 
site  bar^,  we  became  satisfied  that  the  coast  was 
11*  • 


266  THE   CAPTURE,    THE   PRISON  PEN, 

clear,  find,  constructing  a  raft  out  of  such  boards  as 
we  could  find,  made  our  way  across  the  stream. 

We  then  proceeded  very  cautiously,  examining 
closely  all  the  old  camping  grounds  for  crumbs  of 
hard  bread,  and  any  other  rations  that  we  thought 
might  have  been  left  by  our  army;  for  we  were 
now  on  the  Savannah  River  road,  over  which  Kil- 
patrick's  cavalry  and  the  Fourteenth  Army  Corps 
had  passed  but  a  week  before. 

It  was  just  as  we  were  about  turning  from  the 
road  for  the  above  mentioned  purpose,  that  we  were 
challenged  in  a  very  gruff  tone  of  voice,  — 

"WHO   COMES   THEKE?" 

I  had  long  ere  this  decided  upon  the  course  to  be 
pursued  in  case  that  we  should  be  so  unfortunate  as 
to  run  upon  a  picket ;  and  being  too  near  the  chal 
lenger  to  make  running  a  safe  expedient,  I  answered 
without  hesitation,  "Friends."  Upon  which  the 
picket  commanded,  "Advance  one."  I  advanced 
promptly,  and,  arriving  near  my  captors,  found 
them  to  be  mounted  infantrymen.  They  were  sit 
ting  upon  their  horses,  in  the  shade  of  some  cypress- 
trees.  One  asked,  "Who  are  you?"  to  which  I 
replied,  "  I  am  a  scout  to  General  Hardie,  and  must 
not  be  detained,  as  I  have  important  information 
for  the  general." 

^Sentinel.  "  I  am  instructed  to  take  every  person 
to  the  officer  of  the  picket  that  approaches  this  post 
after  iark." 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  267 

"I  can't  help  it,  sir.  It  is  not  customary  to 
arrest  scouts,  and  I  must  pass  on." 

"You  cannot;  I  must  obey  orders.  I  do  not 
doubt  the  truth  of  your  assertion ;  but  until  you 
have  seen  the  lieutenant,  you  will  not  be  allowed  to 
pass  this  post." 

Finding  that  I  had  met  a  good  soldier,  I  sa\v  that 
it  was  useless  to  trifle  with  him,  and  tried  to  con 
sole  myself  with  the  thought  that  I  should  be  able 
to  dupe  the  lieutenant;  and  as  we  were  hurried  on 
toward  the  reserve  of  the  picket,  my  mind  was 
occupied  in  arranging  a  plan  for  our  defence  as  spies 
to  the  great "  Rebel  Chief."  Reaching  the  reserve, 
we  found  nearly  all  asleep,  in  close  proximity  to  a 
large  rail  fire,  including  my  antagonist  the  lieuten 
ant.  He,  being  roughly  shook  by  one  of  the  men, 
soon  became  sensible  of  his  unconscious  state,  and, 
rubbing  his  eyes  for  a  moment,  he  asked,  "  What  is 
wanted?"' 

I  answered,  "I  am  surprised,  sir,  that  scouts  to 
our  generals  should  be  arrested  by  your  picket." 

He  said,  "My  instructions  are  positive,  and  no 
man  can  pass  this  post  without  examination." 

"Very  well,  then,"  said  I,  "be  good  enough  to 
examine  us  at  once." 

"  Have  you  passes  ?  " 

"No,  sir;  not  at  present.  We  had  papers  when 
Ive  left  the  general's  headquarters ;  but  having  been 
scouting  in  Northern  Georgia  for  the  past  two  weeks, 
our  papers  are  worn  out  and  lost." 

"You  have  some  papers  about  you,  I  suppose?*' 


268  THE   CAPTURE,  THE  PRISON  PEN, 

Thinking  that  by  answering  in  the  affirmative,  and 
producing  quickly  an  old  package  of  letters  which 
had  been  received  while  in  Libby  Prison,  that  none 
of  them  would  be  criticised,  I  hastily  drew  them 
from  the  side-pocket  of  niy  jacket  and  held  them 
before  me,  saying,  "  I  hope  here  are  enough,  sir." 
The  lieutenant's  curiosity  led  him  to  take  one  which 
had  been  received  from  Colonel  C.  Buel,  of  Troy. 

REGARDED   AS   A    SPY. 

He  held  it  near  the  fire,  and  noticing  the  date, 
turned  his  eyes  towards  me  and  again  to  the  letter ; 
the  second  glance  seemed  to  satisfy  him  that  I  was 
not  a  Rebel,  and  he  remarked  very  indignantly, 
"Then  you  are  scouting  for  General  Hardie,  are 
you  ?  I  believe  you  are  a  damned  Yankee  spy,  and 
if  you  were  to  get  your  just  deserts  I  should  hang 
you  to  the  first  tree  I  come  to."  Said  I,  "Lieuten 
ant,  do  not  be  too  hasty,  I  can  convince  you  that  I 
have  been  a  prisoner  of  war,  and  if  you  are  a  true 
soldier,  I  shall  be  treated  as  such." 

The  lieutenant,  becoming  a  little  more  mild,  gave 
us  to  understand  that  we  should  start  at  ten  o'clock 
the  next  morning,  for  Springfield,  the  head-quarters 
of  General  Wheeler. 

After  detailing  a  special  guard  for  the  prisoners, 
and  instructing  them  to  be  on  the  alert,  the  lieuten 
ant  laid  himself  down  by  the  fire,  leaving  us  to  reflect 
upon  the  hardness  of  fate,  and  the  uncertainties 
attending  an  effort  to  escape  the  clutches  of  a 
barbarous  enemy. 


AND     THE    ESCAPE.  269 

I  soon  found  an  opportunity  of  speaking  to  Lem 
on,  and  communicated  to  him  my  intention  of 
making  another  attempt  to  reach  the  Federal  lines. 
I  told  him  that  I  diJ  not  know  what  he  had  deter 
mined  to  do,  but  us  for  myself,  I  should  never  re 
turn  to  South  Carolina  a  prisoner.  I  recounted  to 
him  the  horrors  and  frightful  consequences  of  prison 
life,  and  the  privations  and  long  suffering  attending 
our  attempt  to  escape  from  the  hands  of  our  merci 
less  enemies.  I  told  him  that  in  my  estimation  it 
was  quite  as  well  to  be  hung  by  bushwhackers  or  torn 
to  pieces  by  hounds  in  Georgia,  as  to  return  to  South 
Carolina  and  meet  a  miserable  death  from  starvation 
and  exposure.  .1  was  terribly  exasperated,  and  could 
hardly  contain  myself. 

The  lieutenant  seemed  to  agree  with  me  in  every 
particular,  and  although  he  made  no  decisive  answer, 
I  concluded  that  I  could  count  upon  his  co-operation. 
While  with  the  picket,  we  learned  that  we  had  been 
arrested  at  the  outpost,  and  that  if  we  had  been  so 
fortunate  as  to  pass  this  post,  we  might  have  reached 
General  Sherman's  lines  in  less  than  an  hour.  This 
Intelligence  was  very  disheartening  indeed,  when 
we  saw  that  but  a  step  intervened  between  suffering 
and  happiness.  Still,  I  endeavored  to  look  upon 
the  bright  side  of  the  picture,  thinking  that  if  I  could 
but  have  another  chance  in  the  "swamps,"  I  should 
be  more  successful. 

A   KIND   ACT. 

I  shall  never  forget  the  kindness  of  James  Brooks, 


270  THE   CAPTURE,  THE  PRISON  PEN, 

one  of  the  pickets,  who  came  to  us  a  little  after  day 
break,  and  asked  if  we  would  like  some  hoe-cake 
and  bacon  (he  said  he  had  been  out  "  prowling," 
and  would  share  his  rations  with  the  prisoners)  ;  we 
answered  in  the  affirmative,  as  a  matter  of  course, 
having  been  without  food  for  more  than  forty-eight 
hours,  save  a  few  ears  of  corn  which  we  had  been  so 
fortunate  as  to  find  by  the  roadside,  where  the  cav- 
alrj^men  had  fed  their  horses.  In  a  moment  more 
the  hoc-cake  was  forthcoming,  much  to  the  disgust 
of  our  friend's  comrades,  who  called  him  "blue 
belly,"  and  said  he  must  be  a  fool  to  give  his 
bread  to  the  damned  "Yanks."  lie  made  no  reply 
to  their  insults,  but  set  before  us  a.most  excellent 
br^kfast. 

AN  ATTEMPT   TO   BRIBE   THE   GUARD. 

After  we  had  finished  the  hoe-cake  and  bacon, 
we  asked  permission  to  pass  under  guard  to  a  little 
stream  of  water  which  was  in  sight  of,  and  but  a  few 
rods,  from  the  reserve. 

The  favor  was  granted,  and  after  we  had  taken  a 
bath,  I  endeavored  to  bribe  the  guard  by  offering 
them  one  hundred  dollars  in  "Confederate  scrip" 
(which  had  been  given  to  me  by  the  negroes),  if 
they  would  give  us  an  opportunity  to  make  our 
escape. 

They  said  thai  they  would  be  right  glad  to  have 
the  money,  but  feared  the  consequences,  as  they 


AND     THE    ESCAPE.  271 

were  held  responsible  for  our  return.  I  told  them 
that  if  they  would  listen  to  me,  I  wrould  show  them 
how  they  could  make  a  good  pile  of  Confed.,  and 
have  no  fears  of  punishment. 

As  we  could  be  easily  seen  by  the  picket,  my  plan 
was  to  apparently  take  advantage  of  the  guard  by 
setting  oft'  at  a  run  for  the  swamps,  when  they  were 
to  turn  in  pursuit,  and  without  taking  aim,  fire  in 
our  direction. 

I  was  confident  that  the  scheme  would  work  ad 
mirably,  but  the  guards  seemed  to  distrust  each 
other,  and  instead  -of  acceding  to  my  proposition, 
they  marched  us  back  to  the  picket,  and  reported 
that  we  had  attempted  to  bribe  them.  The  lieutan- 
ant  ordered  a  search  at  once,  and  what  little  scrip 
had  been  given  us  by  our  colored  friends  was  soon 
in  the  hands  of  the  "gray  jackets."  We  were  also 
threatened  with  severe  punishment ;  one  said,  "  Shoot 
the  damned  Yankees  ;  "  another, 

"LET  'EM  STEETCH  HEMP."  v 

Several  reckoned  that  they  had  better  take  us 
into  the  sicamp,  and  send  us  after  Sherman's  raiders  ; 
referring,  I  suppose,  to  the  manner  in  which  they 
had  disposed  of  some  of  our  sick  that  had  nec 
essarily  been  left  in  rear  of  the  army ;  for,  before 
our  recapture,  we  were  told  by  the  negroes  that 
fifteen  of  our  sick  that  fell  into  the  hands  of  the 
Rebels  but  a  few  days  since  were  taken  to  a  swamp. 


272  THE   CAPTURE,  THE  PRISON  PEN, 

where  their  throats  were  cut,  and  their  bodies  thrown 
into  a  slough  hole. 

I  cannot  vouch  for  the  truth  of  this  statement ; 
but  it  came  to  me  from  many  whose  veracity  I  had 
no  reason  to  doubt. 

Our  guard  was  universally  applauded  for  their 
fidelity ;  but  I  am  thoroughly  convinced  that  if 
either  had  been  alone,  he  would  have  thanked  me 
for  the  suggestion  and  pocketed  the  money. 

We  remained  with  the  picket  until  ten  o'clock 
A.  M.,  when  a  guard,  consisting  of  a  corporal  and 
two  men,  were  detailed  for  the  purpose  of  taking  us 
to  General  Wheeler's  head-quarters. 

We  had  not  proceeded  far,  however,  when  very 
suddenly  I  became  so  foot-sore  as  to  render  it  seem 
ingly  impossible  for  me  to  walk,  which  I  claimed 
was  the  result  of  my  long  tramp  since  my  escape 
from  Columbia. 

,  OXCE   MORE   IN   THE    SADDLE. 

I  affected  to  be  too  weak  to  mount  without  assist 
ance,  and  allowed  "Johnny  Reb."  to  help  me  into 
the  saddle.  It  was  not  long  before  we  came  to 
some  little  trees  by  the  roadside,  and,  riding  under 
one,  I  broke  off  a  small  limb  which  I  thought  might 
be  of  some  service  in  the  future ;  for  I  was  no 
sooner  in  the  saddle  than  I  had  decided  to  effect 
my  escape  by  flight,  and  determined  to  watch  my 
opportunity. 

I  had  ridden  the  Rebel  charger  but  a  short  distance, 
when  my  guard  espied  a  black  squirrel  a  few  roda 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  273 

from  the  road.  Forgetting  the  responsibility  of 
his  detail,  he  set  out  at  a  wiJ.d  pace  after  the  squir 
rel,  which,  after  darting  off  a  short  distance,  ran  up 
a  tree,  and  then,  as  if  to  show  his  superiority  over 
Blondin,  leaped  from  limb  to  limb  with  an  expert- 
ness  creditable,  to  his  species.  His  follower  was 
upon  the  point  of  giving  up  the  chase  as  a  poor 
investment,  when,  suddenly,  the  little  fellow  halted, 
and  perching  himself  upon  a  limb,  seemingly  bade 
defiance  to  pursuit.  I  could  not  help  regarding  this 
little  animal  with  some  favor ;  for  it  appeared  that 
he  was  about  to  sacrifice  his  life  to  my  interests. 

THE   ESCAPE    AND   PURSUIT. 

The  carbine  was  instantly  brought  to  the  shoulder, 
and  its  report  told  me  then  was  my  time,  while  the 
piece  was  unloaded  ;  and,  without  waiting  to  mark 
the  result  of  the  shot,  I  whipped  up  and  dashed  off 
at  a  fearful  rate,  urging  my  charger  to  the  top  of  his 
speed. 

I  was  noticed  immediately  by  the  corporal,  who 
left  the  other  guard  with  Lemon,  and  came  after  me 
in  a  manner  that  was  not  the  most  flattering  to  my 
prospects.  He  was  armed  with  a  Colt's  revolver, 
and  while  in  pursuit  discharged  its  contents  at  my 
unfortunate  self,  ordering  me  to  halt  at  every  shot. 
I  paid  no  attention  to  the  summons,  but  continued 
to  urge  my  pony  to  his  utmost.  His  time,  however, 
at  the  best,  was  quite  unsatisfactory  to  my  wishes ; 
for  had  he  been  more  fleet,  I  could  have  distanced 
the  corporal,  dismounted,  ind  got  into  the  swamps 


274  THE   CAPTURE)  THE  PRISON  PEN, 

unobserved  ;  but  in  this  respect  I  was  unfortunate, 
and  was  soon  surprised  to  find  myself  approaching 
a  camp,  which  was  situated  on  both  sides  of  the 
road.  I  turned  my  horse,  leaped  a  fence,  and  en 
deavored  to  make  my  way  across  an  open  field  ;  but 
the  corporal's  demand,  to  halt  the  damned  Yankee, 
was  responded  to  by  not  less  than  fifty  Texan  rangers, 
from  the  Rebel  General  Iverson's  Cavalry  Division. 
They  came  hooting  and  yelping,  mounted  and  dis 
mounted,  armed  and  unarmed.  Several  blazed 
away  at  me  with  carbines  and  revolvers,  but  with 
out  effect. 

I  was,  however,  soon  overtaken  by  fresh  horses, 
and  compelled  to  surrender  myself  once  more  a 
prisoner  of  war  into  the  hands  of  the  Texans. 

The  guard,  whom  I  thought  so  kind,  and  whose 
horse  I  had  thus  unmercifully  ridden,  came  up  in  time 
to  heap  a  most  fearful  tirade  of  curses  upon  me 
before  we  again  resumed  march. 

The  Texans  seemed  to  enjoy  the  sport  hugely. 
One  of  them  said  to  the  squirrel-hunter,  "  You  are  a 
damned  smart  soldier,  you  are,  to  let  a  blue-belly 
get  away  from  you  —  and  on  your  own  horse,  too  !  " 
Another  put  in,  "I  say,  corporal,  which  of  them 
nags  can  run  fastest  ?  " 

The  corporal  had  little  to  say,  aud  as  soon  as 
Lemon  and  the  other  guard  came  up  he  started  us  on. 
We  were  then  forced  to  walk  the  entire  distance  — 
my  lameness  exciting  no  more  sympathy  from  the 
mortified  guards. 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  275 

ARRIVAL  AT  WHEELER'S  HEAD-QUARTERS. 

We  reached  General  Wheeler's  head-quarters  late 
in  the  afternoon,  and  the  corporal  reported  to  the 
general  that  he  was  in  charge  of  two  prisoners  that 
had  attempted  to  pass  the  out-posts  as  scouts  to 
General  Hardie.  Wheeler  ordered  us  into  his 
presence,  questioned  us  closely,  and  ordered  our 
clothing  searched.  This  investigation  over,  we 
were  sent  to  the  county  jail  and  locked  up  in  a 
cell,  ten  by  fifteen  feet,  to  await  our  trial  as  "  Yankee 
spies."  We  considered  it  an  easy  matter  to  prove 
our  identity  as  escaped  prisoners,  and  the  only  facts 
that  could  tell  against  us  were,  that  I  wore  a  gray 
jacket,  and  that  we  had  represented  ourselves  to  be 
scouts  to  a  Confederate  general. 

I  shall  ever  remember  our  interview  with  Gen 
eral  Wheeler ;  for  it  was  quite  an  amusing  scene, 
and  illustrates,  to  some  extent,  the  character  of  that 
Rebel  cavalry  chief,  whose  career  in  the  South  and 
West  had  made  his  name  so  famous  in  the  history 
of  the  Rebellion.  He  first  said  to  us,  — 

"  Then  you  are  scouting  for  Confederate  generals, 
are  you  ?  " 

I  replied,  "We would  have  rejoiced  could  we  but 
have  convinced  your  outpost  that  we  were " 

TF.  Enough  of  }Tour  impudence,  sir.  '  Remember 
that  you  are  a  prisoner. 

6r.  Very  true  ;  but  when  you  ask  questions,  you 
inay  anticipate  answers. 

W.  What  are  you  doing  with  that  gray  jacket? 


276  THE   CAPTURE,  THE  PRISON  PEN, 

G.  I  wear  it,  sir,  to  protect  myself  from  the  sun 
and  storm. 

W.  Where  did  you  get  it  ? 

G.  One  of  the  guard  at  Columbia  was  kind  enough 
to  give  it  to  me,  when  he  saw  that  I  was  suffering 
for  the  want  of  clothing  with  which  to  cover  my 
nakedness. 

W.  He  could  not  have  been  a  true  Rebel,  thus  to 
assist  a  Yankee  in  making  his  escape. 

G.  He  Iviiew  nothing  of  my  intention  to  escape  ; 
and  I  believe  he  was,  at  least,  a  sympathizing,  kind- 
hearted  man. 

W.  Why  don't  you  wear  the  Federal  uniform  ? 
Is  it  possible  that .  the  Yankees  are  ashamed  of  the 
blue? 

G.  By  no  means,  sir.  What  few  garments  were 
spared  me  at  the  time  of  my  capture  were  worn  out 
during  a  long  imprisonment,  and  the  clothing  which 
was  sent  on  to  Richmond  by  our  Government  during 
the  winter  of  '63  for  distribution  among  the  pris 
oners,  was,  for  the  most  part,  appropriated  by  your 
authorities. 

W.  Like  many  others  of  the  contemptible  Yan 
kee  crew,  I  believe  you  to  be  a  lying  scoundrel,  and 
you  shall  answer  to  the  charge  of  spy. 

G.  Very  well,  sir,  I  am  compelled  to  await  your 
pleasure  ;  but  you  have  heard  nothing  but  the  truth. 

W.  Guard,  take  the  prisoners  to  the  jail,  place 
them  in  a  cell,  and  keep  them  in  close  confinement 
until  further  orders. 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  27? 


TWENTY-SECOND  DAY. 

COUNTY  JAIL,  SPRINGFIELD,  GA.,  > 
Saturday,  December  17.         5 

Springfield  is  a  very  pleasant  little  village  on  tho 
Middle  Ground  Road.  It  is  the  county  seat  of  Ef- 
fmgham  county,  and  before  the  war  contained  sev 
eral  fine  public  buildings,  which  have  recently  beerx 
laid  in  ruins  by  the  hostile  armies. 

WQ  were  the  only  military  prisoners  confined  in . 
the  jail,  which  was  then  in  the  hands  of  the  military 
authorities.     We  were  kindly  allowed  to  leave  our 
cell  and  go  into  the  yard  to  take  the  fresh  air.     The 
news  spread  rapidly  that  there  were 

TWO    LIVE   YANKS    IN   THE    JAIL   YARD. 

The  citizens  became  alarmed  and  enraged  to  think 
that  we  should  be  permitted  to  leave  tho  cell,  and 
threatened  to  take  the  keys  into  their  own  hands,  if 
we  were  not  taken  back. 

The  officer  in  charge  told  them  that  he  was  per 
sonally  responsible  for  our  safe  keeping,  and  that 
they  need  not  give  themselves  any  uneasiness. 

A  large  crowd  gathered  around  and  looked  upon 
us  with  seeming  wonder.  Seeing  that  we  appeared 
quite  harmless,  several  ventured  up  to  us  and  asked 
many  curious  questions.  I  found  them  to  be  the 
most  ignorant  class  of  people  that  I  have  ever  met 
in  the  South.  Mar.y  of  them  have  supposed,  until 
very  recently,  that  the  Yankees  actually  wore  horns. 


278  THE   CAPTURE,  THE   PRISON  PEN", 

Their  ideas  of  the  war  were  laughable  in  the  ex 
treme. 

TWENTY-THIRD  DAY. 

MIDDLE  GROUND  KOALI,  NEAR  SPRINGFIELD,  GA.,  } 
Sunday,  December  18.  $ 

In  the  afternoon,  we  were  brought  up  before  a 
Military  Commission,  composed  of  officers  from 
General  Wheeler's  staff. 

The  officials  had  already  become  pretty  well  satis 
fied  that  we  were  only  prisoners  of  war,  and  all  the 
Commission  did,  was  to  ask  us  where  we  were  cap 
tured,  where  we  had  been  imprisoned,  when  we 
made  our  escape,  etc.  This  farce  of  a  trial  being 
over,  a  heavy  guard  was  detailed  from  the  Second 
Georgia  Cavalry,  with  instructions  to  proceed  with 
us  to  Waynesboro',  together  with  fifteen  prisoners 
from  our  Fourteenth  Army  Corps,  who  were  cap 
tured  while  out  on  a  foraging  expedition  a  few  days 
before. 

From  them  I  gained  much  valuable  information 
concerning  the  situation  of  our  army. 

I  also  learned  where  the  Rebel  troops  were  sta 
tioned  in  General  Sherman's  rear.  Such  informa 
tion  was  absolutely  necessary  in  the  event  of  another 
attempt  to  escape.  No  rations  were  issued  to  us. 
The  Rebel  troops  depended  entirely  on  foraging  for 
their  supplies,  and  seemed  to  care  very  little  for  the 
wants  of  the  prisoners.  A  few  ears  of  corn  were 
all  we  had  to  keep  soul  and  body  together.  As 
night  drew  on,  we  were  in  very  low  spirits  —  owing 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  279 

to  the  fact  that  all  attempts  to  elude  the  vigilance 
of  the  guards  during  the  day  had  failed. 

I  first  urged  the  prisoners  to  straggle,  so  as  to 
lengthen  the  column  as  much  as*possible,  thinking 
that  if  we  were  permitted  so  to  do,  I  might  succeed 
in  dodging  into  a  swamp  unobserved  ;  but  the  vigi 
lant  sergeant  was  too  shrewd  to  be  duped  in  this 
manner,  and  instructed  his  men  to  keep  us  closed 
up. 

Failing  in  this  scheme,  I  hoped  that  the  sergeant 
would  continue  to  march  us  during  the  night,  in 
•which  case  I  could  take  advantage  of  the  darkness 
and  make  off'  at  my  pleasure  ;  but  in  this  plan  also  I 
was  destined  to  be  disappointed  ;  for  much  against 
my  wishes  we  came  to  a  halt  but  a  few  moments 
after  dark,  and  were  hurried  into  an  old  build  ing 
for  the  night. 

Just  before  halting  we  had  passed  through  a  large 
swarup,  where  the  water  was  so  deep  in  the  road  as 
to  compel  each  man  to  use  his  own  discretion  in 
making  his  way  through. 

The  guard  did  its  best  to  keep  us  together  and 
prevent  escapes ;  but  in  spite  of  their  exertions  one 
of  our  enlisted  men  fell  out,  whose  absence  was  soon 
noticed  by  the  sergeant. 

VERIFYING    11EBEL   DETAILS. 

TTc  succeeded  in  convincing  him  that  all  the 
prisoners  were  present  with  whom  he  had  started 
from  Springfield.  Our  programme  was  this :  I 
found  out  the  absent  man's  name :  and  then.  n<*  tb« 


280  THE    CAPTURE,  THE   PRISON 

sergeant  had  a  list  of  the  prisoners,  I  volunteered 
to  call  the  roll  tor  him.  Getting  us  into  a  safe  posi 
tion,  and  lighting  a  piece  of  fat  pine,  he  handed  me 
the  list,  and  I  proceeded  to  call  the  names ;  as  a 
matter  of  course,  all  who  were  present  answered 
promptly,  and  then  (according  to  previous  instruc 
tion)  ,  as  no  one  had  heard  such  a  name  as  the  ab 
sent  man  bore,  the  sergeant  concluded  that  it  must 
Lave  found  its  way  upon  the  roll  through  mistake. 

Under  ordinary  circumstances,  I  should  be  far 
from  volunteering  to  aid  a  Rebel  in  verifying  his 
details ;  but,  in  this  case,  I  thought  that  by  a  little 
ingenuity,  a  fellow-sufferer  might  return  to  liberty  ; 
for  had  not  this  scheme  been  devised,  strenuous  ef 
forts  would  have  been  made  by  the  guards  to  insure 
his  capture.  Picked  men  would  have  been  detailed, 
hounds  called  out,  and  a  few  hours,  at  the  furthest, 
would  doubtless  have  convinced  the  unfortunate  vic 
tim  how  little  hope  there  is  for  him  who  seeks  to 
shun  the  horrors  of  prison  life  by  an  escape. 

We  were  entertained  during  the  evening  by  the 
good  humor  of  one  of  the  guards,  who,  having  seen 
something  of  the  world,  was  inclined  to  make  light 
of  the  verdant  and  somewhat  peculiar  speeches  of  his 
more  unfortunate  fellow-Georgians,  who  had  never 
passed  the  limits  of  the  swamps  that  surround  their 
dreary  homesteads.  A  story  was  told  by  this  jovial 
cavalier  of  an  old  lady  to  whom  he  had  applied  for 
bread  during  the  day.  It  was  designed  to  show  her 
appreciation  of  General  Wheeler.  She  struck  out 
as  follows  :  "  Mr.  Wheeler  and  his  critter-company 


AND   THE  ESCAPE.  281 

drove  into  my  back  yard  t'other  day,  tipped  my  ash 
hopper  over,  and  drawed  out  ten  streaks  of  fight  half 
a  mile  long,  with  his  wagon-guns  on  the  ends  of  'em 
—  and  when  he  went  away  he  never  paid  me  nary 
cent.  I  allers  thought  you'uns  was  a  decenttr  set 
of  men,  but  the  Yanks  theirselves  is  no  wusser. 
Now,  ef  you'uns  don't  go  'long  and  leave  us  what 
little  we've  got,  we'll  surely  perish." 

TWENTY-FOURTH  DAY. 

NEAR  SYLVANIA,  GA-,  > 
Monday,  December  19.  > 

Commenced  our  march  at  daybreak,  and  made 
about  twenty-five  miles  during  the  day. 

Sylvania  is  a  small  town,  and  to  all  appearances 
of  but  little  importance.  It  is  situated  on  the  Mid 
dle  Ground  Road,  midway  between  Springfield  and 
Waynesboro'.  The  armies  did  not  halt  here  ;  and, 
consequently,  the  people  knew  but  little  of  the  sad 
realities  resulting  from  the  devastating  tread  of 
armed  hosts. 

They  were  generally  disposed  to  be  talkative  and 
friendly.  Many  of  them  beseigcd  the  guard  and 
prisoners  with  questions  and  observations.  This 
was  just  what  we  wanted  —  for  the  guard  could  not 
be  vigilant  when  entertaining  citizens. 

Early  in  the  evening  our  station  was  on  the  porch 
of  a  large  unoccupied  building,  while  the  sentinels 
were  posted  in  front  in  the  form  of  a  semicircle. 

12 


282  THE    CAPTURE,  THE  PRISON  PEN, 

Soon  after  halting,  the  sergeant  came  to  me  £.ncl 
said,  "My  foragers  have  found  some  corn-bread  and 
sweet  potatoes,  which  you  see  at  the  other  end  of 
the  porch.  I  will  give  you  all  some  potatoes,  and 
keep  the  bread  for  the  guard."  "Very well  —  very 
well,"  I  said,  and  continued  to  myself,  "If  we  are 
permitted  to  remain  outside  the  building  till  dark, 
your  guard  will  get  very  little  of  that  bread,  unless 
it  is  issued  soon."  As  he  was  walking  away,  I  called 
to  him,  "  Sergeant,  have  you  any  objection  to  our 
remaining  outside  till  after  supper,  as  we  shall 
want  to  use  the  fire  ?  " 

After  looking  carefully  around  and  hesitating  a 
moment,  he  answered,  "  Ye-es,  I  reckon  you  can." 
"Thank  you  —  thank  you,"  I  replied;  "We  ?  ill 
consider  it  a  privilege."  This  favor  granted,  I  at 
once  set  myself  at  work  on  a  plan  of  escape. 


AND   THE  ESCAPE.  283 


CHAPTER  XYI. 

THE   ESCAPE  FROM  SYLVANIA,  GEORGIA. 

•       TWENTY-FIFTH  DAY. 

IN  A  SWAMP  NEAR  SYLYANIA,  GA,  > 
Tuesday,  December  20,  1864.      5 

HAVIXG  been  told  by  the  sergeant  that  we  would 
be  allowed  to  remain  without  the  building  until 
after  supper,  I  called  the  attention  of  Lieutenant  J. 
W.  Wright,  Tenth  Iowa  ^Volunteers,  who  was 
conversing  with  a  citizen,  and  asked  him  if  he  had 
not  better  get  his  potatoes.  I  at  the  same  time  gave 
him  a  look,  which  he  understood  to  mean  a  change 
of  base.  Hastily  withdrawing  from  the  citizen  ho. 
met  me  on  the  porch,  where  I  communicated  to  him 
my  plan  for  escape,  and  inquired  if  he  would  join 
me  in  its  execution.  He  replied  without  hesitation 
that  he  was  up  to  anything  but  going  back  to  South 
Carolina,  and  would  not  shrink  from  bearing  a  hand 
in  any  move  which  I  might  make. 

Lemon,  my  former  companion,  was  prevented  by 
circumstances  from  participating  in  this  plan,  and 
was  taken  back  to  Columbia.  I  will  here  say  that 
Lieutenant  Wright  was  also  an  escaped  prisoner 


284  THE    CAPTURE,    THE   PRISON  PEN", 

from  Columbia,  whom  I  had  often  met  during  my 
imprisonment;  he  left  Columbia  a  few  days  after 
Lieutenant  Lemon  and  myself,  but  unfortunately, 
like  us,  was  recaptured  at  a  time  when  he  felt  that 
he  was  about  to  say  adieu  to  the  scenes  of  his  suf 
fering.  Finding  that  Wright  had 


"ESCAPE  ON  THE  BKAIN," 

I  lost  no  time  in  making  what  I  considered  the 
necessary  preliminaries. 

I  first  saw  one  of  the  prisoners,  whom  I  had  been 
told  by  the  sergeant  would  be  allowed  to  issue  the 
potatoes.  I  requested  him  to  make  the  issue  upon 
receiving  a  certain  signal  from  me,  which  I  made 
him  understand  perfectly. 

I  then  asked  Lieutenant  Wright  to  step  to  the 
end  of  the  porch,  near  where  the  corn-bread  lay 
that  was  intended  for  the  Rebel  guard.  I  followed 
immediately  after,  but  was  observed  by  the  sergeant, 
who  seemed  to  wonder  at  this  singular  flank  move 
ment  ;  he  said  nothing,  however,  as  we  allayed  his 
suspicious  of  our  intentions,  by  sitting  down  and 
entering  into  conversation.  In  a  moment  more  a 
citizen  came  up,  and  called  the  attention  of  the 
sergeant. 

A   VALUABLE    CAPTUEE. 

The  signal  was  made,  and  the  half-starved  men, 
closed  up  for  their  potatoes.  It  was  now  getting 
dark ;  I  hastily  took  possession  of  the  corn-bread, 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  285 

and  taking  advantage  of  the  crowd,  which  screened 
us  from  the  guard,  we  sloped  for  a  small  clump  of 
bushes  that  were  but  a  few  rods  distant.  The  po 
tatoes  were  no  sooner  distributed  than  our  absence 
was  noticed. 

The  sergeant  suddenly  aroused  himself,  and  ex 
claimed,  "By  dog  on't,  the  damned  Yankee  officers 
have  done  gone,  and  taken  all  of  our  corn-bread.  I 
will  have  them,  if  it  costs  me  a  horse." 

Calling  out  a  corporal  and  four  men,  he  instruct 
ed  them  to  proceed  to  a  plantation  for  hounds,  and 
to  bring  back  the  Yanks  either  dead  or  alive.  He 
thought  it  probable  that  we  would  take  the  Spring 
field  road,  as  that  was  the  nearest  route  to  our 
lines. 

We  were  all  this  time  so  near  the  guard  that  we 
could  hear  distinctly  every  word  that  was  spoken, 
and,  as  a  matter  of  course,  understood  the  pro 
gramme  perfectly. 

We  decided  with  the  sergeant,  that  the  route  by 
way  of  Springfield  was  unquestionably  the  one  to 
be  preferred ;  but  we  did  not  consider  it  policy  to 
strike  the  road  when  we  knew  it  was  being  patrolled 
with  hounds,  and  concluded  not  to  be  in  any  hurry 
until  the  excitement  was  over. 

As  soon  as  it  was  sufficiently  dark  to  warrant  a 
movement,  we  hurriedly  decamped  from  our  place 
of  concealment,  and  made  our  way  around  to  the 
Middle  Ground  Road,  over  which  we  had  passed  but 
a  few  hours  before  under  guard.  We  leaped  across 
it,  fio  as  to  avoid  the  suspicion  which  tracks  would 


286  THE   CAPTURE)    THE  PRISON  PEN, 

very  naturally  excite,  and  hastened  into  a  large 
swamp  but  a  short  distance  from  town.  While 
there,  we  decided  upon  the  course  to  be  pursued, 
which  was  recommended  by  Wright. 

The  lieutenant  had  been  over  the  Middle  Ground 
Road  before,  to  within  a  few  miles  of  Springfield, 
when  he  was  recaptured ;  and  his  experience  we 
considered  a  valuable  possession,  as  we  intended  to 
get  back  to  Springfield  as  quickly  as  possible,  and 
then  strike  for  some  point  on  the  Savannah,  near 
which  Lemon  and  I  were  recaptured. 

We  remained  in  the  swamp  until  after  ten  o'clock, 
«vhen  Wright  started  up  and  told  me  to  follow.  He 
then  went  in  quest  of  an  old  negro  hut,  where  he 
had  before  obtained  succor.  It  was  within  a  stone's 
throw  of  the  plantation  house,  and  therefore  not 
safely  approached  without  a  thorough  reconnois- 
sance. 

Secreting  me  in  a  corner  of  the  fence  which  sur 
rounds  the  plantation,  Wright  proceeded  forthwith 
to  the  hut,  in  which  he  was  confident  that 

OLD    EICHARD 

Slept ;  for  this  was  the  name  of  the  kind-hearted 
negro  wrho  had  supplied  him  with  hoe-cake  and 
bacon  before  he  was  re-taken  at  Springfield. 

It  required  but  a  moment  to  convince  Richard  that 
his  guest  was  none  other  than  Massa  Wright,  whom 
he  had  befriended  during  his  escape,  and  whom  he 
had  the  mortification  to  see  pass  back  toward  Syl- 
vania  a  prisoner  in  the  afternoon. 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  287 

I  was  soon  introduced,  with  all  due  formality,  to 
this  swarthy  descendant  of  Ham,  whose  warm  and 
hearty  shake  of  the  hand  convinced  me,  beyond  a 
douht,  that  he  was  an  earnest  friend  to  the  Yankee, 
who  would  not  hesitate  to  stake  his  life,  if  neces 
sary,  in  an  endeavor  to  further  our  wishes. 

Wright  said  that  he  had  found  a  friend,  and  that 
I  must  make  arrangements  for  the  "grub."  I  said 
to  Richard,  "  We  want  to  leave  this  place  to-morrow 
night  at  twelve  o'clock,  and  would  like  to  take  four 
days'  rations  with  us.  Can  you  let  us  have  some 
bacon  and  sweet  potatoes  to  put  with  our  corn- 
bread?" 

He  replied,  "It  is  a  pretty  hard  case,  massa ;  but 
dis  yer  darkey  will  do  de  best  he  can.  Can't  get 
nuffin  on  dis  plantation,  but  reckon  I  can  buy  some 
potatoes  down  at  Massa  Smith's  three  miles  from 
yer,  and  will  go  down  there  after  I  finish  my  task 
to-morrow.  As  to  meat,"  he  said,  "you  know, 
massa,  dat  in  the  Souf  de  slave  takes  what  de  white 
folks  frows  away  ;  and  I  reckon  you  all  couldn't  eat 
a  tainted  ham  dat  old  massa  gib  me  tother  day ;  but 
if  you  can,  God  knows  dis  chile  gibs  it  to  you  wid 
all  his  heart." 

I  gave  him  to  understand  that  we  should  be 
greatly  obliged  for  the  described  ham  ;  as  we  had 
become  so  entirely  oblivious  to  the  sense  of  taste 
that  we  do  not  stop  to  question  the  quality  of  any 
thing  which  could  be  eaten  by  man. 

The  ration  question  being  settled,  we  asked 
Richard  if  he  could  not  take  us  to  some  safe  spot 


288  THE    CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON 

•where  no  Rebel  would  ever  think  of  coming.  Lead 
ing  the  way,  our  colored  friend  conducted  us  to  a 
swamp,  and  found  a  secure  place  of  concealment  in 
the  top  of  an  old  pine  tree. 

Here  we  spent  the  day  unmolested  and  unob 
served  by  any  one.  The  whippoorwill  and  turtle 
dove  enlivened  us  with  their  inspiring  notes  during 
the  day,  and  as  night  began  to  approach  the  gloomy 
owl  from  the  tree-tops  uttered  his  solemn  warning- 
cry.  The  pine  and  c}rpress  trees,  swayed  by  the 
breeze,  moaned  a  perpetual  chorus,  and  under  their 
tuition  we  learned,  during  the  long,  dreary  hours, 
how  much  we  were  indebted  to  these  dismal  wilds 
that  have  concealed  alike  both  friend  and  foe. 

Here  the  Rebel  deserter  concealed  himself  from 
his  pursuers.  Here  the  loyalist  found  a  hiding-place 
from  the  Rebel  conscripting  officer.  Here  the  trem 
bling  ncsrro  had  his  first  taste  of  freedom.  Here 

o        o 

the  escaped  prisoner  was  enabled  to  baffle  blood 
hounds  and  human  hounds,  and  make  his  way  to  the 
Federal  lines. 

I  always  considered  that  a  prisoner  of  war  was 
justified  in  making  his  escape,  and  might  claim  the 
consideration  due  to  a  human  being,  even  though  he 
were  depriving  his  enemies  of  the  fruits  of  victory ; 
and  it  hardly  seems  possible  that  in  our  own  free 
country  such  an  one  should  be  tracked  with  blood 
hounds,  like  a  wild  beast,  and  shot  down  without 
mercy,  like  an  outlaw. 

I  cannot  help  asking,  with  the  poet  Whittier,  — 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  289 

"Is  this  the  land  our  fathers  loved, 

The  freedom  which  they  toiled  to  win  ? 
Is  this  the  earth  whereon  they  moved  ? 
Are  those  the  graves  they  slumber  in  ?  " 

How  wonderfully  degenerated  have  become  these 
unworthy  descendants  of  the  mighty  fathers  of  the 
revolution.  Could  their  spirits  but  speak  from  the 
heavens,  they  would  warn  these  fiends  of  earth  not 
to  stain  the  pages  of  history  by  acts  so  foul  and 
barbarous  that  the  most  unfeeling  savage  would 
shrink  with  horror  from  their  contemplation. 


TWENTY-SIXTH  DAY. 

BETWEEN  SYLVANIA  AND  SPRINGFIELD,  GEORGIA,  7 
Wednesday,  December  21.  5 

We  met  Old  Eichard  in  the  evening  at  the  spot 
agreed  upon,  near  a  spring  on  his  master's  planta 
tion.  He  gave  us  the  tainted  meat  which  had  been 
spoken  of  the 'previous  night,  and  a  few  sweet  pota 
toes.  This  was  the  best  that  he  could  do  for  us ; 
and  after  we  had  asked  God  to  bless  him  for  his 
kindness,  and  told  him  that  we  believed  the  day 
was  not  far  distant  when  he  would  be  a  free  man, 
started  on  our  way  rejoicing,  hoping  that  we  might 
reach  our  lines  before  we  should  need  another  sup 
ply.  We  walked  about  twenty-five  miles  after  leav 
ing  Eichard,  for  the  most  part  keeping  the  road 
over  which  we  had  marched  while  prisoners  on  our 
way  to  Sylvania. 

Our  progress  was  necessarily  very  slow,  for,  to 
12* 


290  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON  PEN,  ' 

use  an  army  phrase,  I  was  about  "played  out,"  from 
starvation  and  long  exposure.  My  weight  could 
not  have  been  more  than  ninety  pounds.  Wright 
is  a  hardy  Western  man,  much  larger  than  myself, 
and,  besides,  he  had  a  good  pair  of  shoes,  which  are 
almost  indispensable  to  the  success  of  an  escaped 
prisoner.  They  were  given  him  by  a  negr.o,  soon 
after  his  escape  from  Columbia.  During  the  night's 
tramp  he  carried  me  through  several  swamps  on  his 
back,  as  I  was  entirely  too  weak  to  make  my  way 
alone  without  falling  into  slough-holes.  Nothing 
occurred  during  the  night  to  lessen  our  chances  of 
reaching  Sherman's  lines,  although  at  one  time  we 
came  so  near  being  seen  by  two 

REBEL   DESERTERS, 

That  we  had  barely  time  to  turn  from  the  road  and 
secrete  ourselves  behind  a  log,  when  they  passed  the 
spot  where  we  had  stood  but  a  moment  before.  It 
was  a  bright  moonlight  night ;  and  -bad  they  been 
looking  for  Yanks,  they  could  have  found  us  very 
readily ;  but  it  appeared  from  their  conversation 
that  they  were  conscripts,  and  that  not  feeling  dis 
posed  to  fight  against  the  defenders  of  the  "old 
flag,"  they  had  deserted  from  General  Wheeler's 
command,  and  were  making  their  way  back  to  their 
homes  in  Tennessee.  We  did  not  venture  to  hail 
them,  but  thinking  that  for  the  alleged  reasons  they 
were  justified  in  deserting  the  Rebel  ranks,  we 
silently  wished  them  success,  and  pushed  on. 

At  daybreak  we  came  to  a  halt,  thinking  we  had 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  291 

secured  a  hiding-place  entirely  removed  from  the 
haunts  of  men,  but  soon  discovered  a  plantation 
house  near  by.  Finding  that  it  was  occupied,  we 
deemed  it  wisdom  to  change  our  base  of  conceal 
ment,  and  accordingly  "got  up  and  dusted."" 

Half  a  mile  brought  us  to  a  swamp,  where  we 
found  a  lodgment  between  the  roots  of  a  large 
cypress-tree.  As  the  moon  did  not  rise  till  mid 
night,  we  determined  to  get  an  early  start  and  im 
prove  the  darkness.  Heavy  cannonading  was  heard 
all  day  in  the  direction  of  Savannah. 


TWENTY-SEVENTH  DAY. 

OX   OTTR  WAY,   WITH  RENEWED   OBSTACLES,  > 

Thursday,  December  22.         $ 

In  accordance  with  our  intentions,  we  set  out  at 
an  early  hour.  Had  not  proceeded  far  when  a 
plantation  became  visible. 

A  PROPOSITION. 

Wright  said,  "  Glazier,  if  you  would  like  a  good 
supper  and  something  to  put  in  the  haversack,  I 
will  tell  you  where  you  can  make  a  raise  on  a  safe 
scale,  by  just  representing  yourself  to  be  a  Rebel, 
and  trusting  to  your  face."  We  always  considered 
it  advisable  to  replenish  the  commissary  department 
as  often  as  possible ;  and  I  asked  him  to  mention 
the  particulars.  He  replied  that  the  plantation 
house,  toward  which  we  were  directing  our  eyes, 
was  occupied  by  a  planter's  wife  and  some  small 


292  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON  PEN, 

children,  whose  husband  and  father  was  in  the  Rebel 
army.  He  had  also  been  informed  that  there  were 
no  hounds  upon  the  plantation. 

THE  INTERVIEW  WITH  MRS.  KEYTON.  —  TURNING 
THE  TABLES. 

After  listening  to  the  details,  we  agreed  upon  a 
signal  which  should  warn  him  of  my  approach  upon 
returning  from  the  designed  foraging  expedition, 
and  then  I  went  in  quest  of  the  house.  Stepping 
up  to  the  door,  I  rapped,  and  a  very  intelligent  lady 
soon  made  her  appearance.  I  asked,  "  Can  you 
give  this  Rebel  a  supper?"  She  replied,  "You 
shall  have  the  best  the  house  affords,"  and  invited 
me  to  step  in  and  take  a  seat  by  the  fire.  I  did  so, 
saying,  as  I  took  my  seat,  "  Madam,  I  am  shocked 
at  the  dastardly  conduct  of  General  Sherman  in  his 
march  through  Georgia.  It  has  been  characterized 
by  nothing  but  what  should  excite  the  revenge,  and 
move  to  action,  every  man  possessing  a  true  South 
ern  spirit.  Our  aged  citizens,  who  have  banded 
together  for  mutual  protection,  have  been  treated 
as  bushwhackers  —  have  been  driven  from  their 
homes,  and  their  property  confiscated.  Our  hounds, 
always  true  to  the  interests  of  the  South,  have  been 
shot  down  by  the  roadside  for  no  other  reason  than 
because  they  have  been  used  in  tracking  escaped 
prisoners " 

Here  I  was  interrupted  by  the  lady,  who  re 
marked,  to  my  great  surprise,  that  she  could  not 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  293 

see  that  the  Yankees  were  much  worse  than  the 
Confederates,  after  all.  She  said, — 

"When  the  Federal  army  passed  through  the 
State,  it  took  from  the  rich  the  supplies  necessary 
for  its  sustenance  ;  and  when  our  cavalry  followed 
on  in  the  rear,  it  took  nearly,  all  that  was  left,  seem 
ing  to  care  but  little  for  our  wants  ;  often  stripping 
defenceless  women  and  children  of  their  last  morsel 
of  bread." 

G.  I  regret  that  the  conduct  of  our  troops  has 
been  such  as  to  give  you  reasons  for  complaint. 

Lady.  I,  too,  regret  that  our  men  have  not 
proved  themselves  worthy  of  a  cause  which  they 
appear  so  willing  to  defend. 

G.  Remember  that  our  commissary  department 
has  been  broken  up,  and  that  we  are  entirely  de 
pendent  upon  the  people  for  the  subsistence  of  a 
large  army. 

L.  And  what  do  you  think  of  present  prospects? 

G.  Our  future  seems  dark — our  cause  appears 
almost  hopeless ;  but  the  sacrifices  of  our  gallant 
dead  remain  unavenged.  "  We  must  fight  while 
there  is  a  man  left,  and  die  in  the  last  ditch." 

L.  If  there  is  no  longer  any  hope  of  success,  I 
should  say  that  it  would  be  better  to  lay  down  our 
arms  at  once,  and  go  back  under  the  "old  flag." 

G.  We  must  fight. 

L.  It  is  wickedness  to  continue  this  awful  mas 
sacre  of  human  beings,  without  some  prospect  of 
ultimate  success, 


294  THE   CAPTURE,  THE  PRISON  PEN", 

G.  Very  true ;  but  we  have  lost  all  in  this  strug 
gle,  and  must  sell  our  lives  as  dearly  as  possible. 

L.  My  husband  is  a  captain  in  the  Twenty -fifth 
Georgia  Infantry.  He  is  the  father  of  these  chil 
dren,  and  is  very  dear  to  both  them  and  me.  Long 
have  I  prayed  that  he  might  be  spared  to  return  to 
his  family,  but  fear  that  we  shall  never  be  permitted 
to  see  him  again.  When  he  entered  the  army  I  ad 
mired  his  patriotism,  and  was  glad  to  see  him  go  in 
defence  of  what  I  supposed  to  be  the  true  policy  of 
the  Southern  people ;  but  we  have  been  deceived 
from  the  beginning  by  our  military  and  political 
leaders.  It  is  time  to  open  our  eyes,  and  see  what 
obstinacy  has  brought  us.  We  are  conquered. 
Let  us  adhere  to  the  administration  of  the  Federal 
government,  ere  we  are  ruined. 

G.  Madam,  your  sympathies  appear  to  be  with 
the  Federals. 

L.  It  is  not  strange  ;  I  was  born  and  educated  in 
New  England ;  —  and  your  speech  would  indicate 
that  you,  too,  are  not  a  native  of  the  South. 

G.  You  are  right ;  I  am  a  New  Yorker  by  birth, 
but  have  been  for  a  long  time  in  South  Carolina. 

After  partaking  of  the  frugal  meal  set  before  me, 
which  consisted  of  corn-bread  and  sweet  potatoes,  I 
thanked  the  lady  for  her  kindness,  and  told  her  that 
I  regretted  very  deeply  that  I  was  not  in  a  situation 
to  remunerate  her  for  so  much  trouble.  Noticing 

o 

my  blue  pants  as  I  arose  from  the  table,  she  ob 
served  :  *  It  is  impossible  for  me  to  know  our  men 
from  the  Federals  by  the  uniform ;  but  a  few  days 


AND   THE  ESCAPE.  295 

since,  two  soldiers  asked  me  to  get  them  some  sup 
per,  claiming  to  be  scouts  to  General  Wheeler; 
they  told  many  very  plausible  stories,  and  the  next 
day,  to  my  astonishment,  I  was  charged  with  har 
boring  Yankee  spies." 

G.  I  do  not  wonder  that  you  find  it  difficult  to 
distinguish  the  Confederate  from  the  Yankee  soldier, 
for  in  these  trying  times  a  poor  Eebel  is  compelled 
to  wear  anything  he  can  get.  The  dead  are  always 
stripped,  and  at  this  season  of  the  year,  we  find  the 
Federal  uniform  far  more  comfortable  than  our  own. 

L.  It  must  be  an  awful  extremity  that  could 
tempt  men  to  strip  the  dying  and  the  dead. 

G.  We  have  become  so  much  accustomed  to  such 
practices,  that  we  are  unmoved  by  scenes  which 
might  appall  and  sicken  those  who  have  never 
served  in  our  ranks. 

L.  I  sincerely  hope  that  these  murderous  prac 
tices  will  soon  be  at  an  end. 

G.  I  must  go,  madam  ;  may  I  know  to  whom  I 
am  so  much  indebted  for  rny  supper  and  kind  enter 
tainment  this  evening? 

L.  Mrs.  James  Keyton.  And  what  may  I  call 
your  name  ? 

G.  Willard  Glazier,  Fifty-third  Alabama  Mounted 
Infantry. 

L.  Should  you  chance  to  meet  the  Twenty-fifth 
Georgia,  please  inquire  for  Captain  Keyton,  and  say 
to  him  that  his  wife  and  children  are  well,  and  send 
their  love* 


296  THE   CAPTURE,  THF  PRISON  PEN, 

G.  He  shall  certainly  have  your  message  if  it  is 
my  good  fortune  to  find  him  out.  Good-night. 

The  interview  with  Mrs.  Key  ton  ended,  which 
seemed  to  convince  her  that  I  was  a  bitter  Rebel,  I 
hastened  out  to  receive  the  congratulations  of  Wright 
upon  my  success,  but  found  him  in  very  bad  humor, 
as  he  was  entirely  out  of  patience  with  waiting 
for  my  return.  I  explained  to  him  the  reason  of 
the  delay,  but  all  to  no  purpose,  for  he  was  so 
provoked  that  he  would  not  listen;  and  thus  feel 
ing  a  little  angry  at  each  other,  we  moved  toward 
Springfield.  Being  determined  to  gain  as  much  in 
formation  as  possible  concerning  the  strength  and 
movements  of  .the  enemy  in  General  Sherman's  rear, 
we  made  a  thorough  reconnoissauce  before  leaving 
Springfield. 

We  found  General  Iverson's  head-quarters  to  be 
at  that  place,  and  were  at  one  time  within  fifteen 
paces  of  the  house  which  he  occupied. 

We  were  so  near  his  provost  guard,  as  to  hear 
distinctly  every  word  that  was  spoken.  They  were 
discussing  present  prospects,  and  the  news  which 
they  had  received  the  day  before  of  the  fall  of  Sa 
vannah.  It  seemed  to  be  the  prevailing  opinion  that 
the  Confederate  army  was  about  played  out,  and  that 
sooner  or  later 

ILL-FATED   DIXIE 

would  be  compelled  to  submit  to  the  tyrannical  rule 
of  the  invader.  One  long,  gaunt-looking  fellow, 
who  appeared  to  be  the  mouth-piece  for  a  large 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  297 

number,  straightened  himself  up  in  front  of  a  fire, 
around  which  a  group  had  gathered,  and  burst  forth 
as  follows :  "By  dog  on't,  the  damned  blue-bellies 
have  got  ahead  of  we'uns  on  this  tramp."  I  could 
not  help  thinking  what  a  change  had  taken  place  in 
their  views  since  the  17th,  when  we  were  prisoners 
at  T^hceler's  head-quarters,  for  at  that  time  they 
asserted  that  they  had 

GENERAL  SHERMAN  JUST  WHERE  THEY  WANTED  HIM. 

Now  their  victim  is  evidently  in  the  ascendant, 
and  the  army  that  was  to  sacrifice  its  chivalrous 
blood  in  the  defences  of  Savannah,  seeks  safety  in 
flight,  having  abandoned  its  artillery  and  supplies. 
Leaving  Springfield,  it  was  the  intention  to  strike 
the  Savannah  lliver  road  at  Ilelmy,  where  we  sup 
posed  the  enemy's  outpost  to  be.  My  companion 
knew  nothing  about  this  route,  and  left  all  to  me, 
as  I  had  been  re-captured  near  that  point. 

It  was  by  no  means  an  easy  task  to  pursue  any 
direct  course  in  this  swampy  country,  intersected  as 
it  is  by  blind  roads.  The  sun,  moon,  and  stars, 
were  our  only  guides  ;  and  it  was  to  them  that  we 
were  chiefly  indebted  for  our  success  thus  far. 

While  in  South  Carolina  and  Northern  Georgia, 
we  depended  entirely  upon  the  negroes  for  guidance  ; 
but  the  passage  of  our  army  through  this  section  of 
the  State  opened  the  way  to  freedom,  and  invited 
the  bondman  to  cast  off  his  shackles,  and  enjoy  the 
blessings  of  liberty , 


298  THE    CAPTURE,  THE  PRISON  1'EN, 

Strange  as  it  may  seem,  nearly  every  slave  had 
embraced  the  opportunity  presented  him,  and  very 
quietly  taken  leave  of  his  kind  old  master  without 
•waiting  for  ceremony.  I  say  strange,  for  the  simple 
reason,  that  it  has  been  the.  boast  of  the  Southerner 
that  the  slave  would  not  exchange  his  chains  for 
freedom ;  that  he  was  happy  when  governed  by  a 
kind  master,  and  would  not  seek  to  better  his  con 
dition  by  a  change: 

Having  passed  Springfield  about  six  miles,  we 
found  daylight  approaching,  and  hurriedly  turned 
from  the  road  which  we  had  been  following  for 
more  than  an  hour,  and  secreted  ourselves  in  some 
tall  swamp  grass.  Here  we  laid  little  more  than 
an  hour,  when  we  were  suddenly 

STARTLED    BY  HOUNDS. 

Wright  turned  to  me  and  said,  "  We  are  followed  " 

I  asked,  "  What  do  you  propose  to  do?'* 

"I  am  undecided,"  was  his  reply. 

"  It  is  my  opinion,"  I  said,  "that  there  is  no  time 
for  reflection.  If  we  are  not  off  at  once,  we  will  be 
prisoners  before  leaving  this  swamp." 

w  Well,  off  it  is,  then,"  said  Wright ;  and  jumping 
into  our  shoes,  which  we  had  taken  off  in  order  to 
dry  our  feet,  we  got  out  of  the  swamp  in  double- 
quick  time,  crossed  the  road,  and,  taking  the  sun 
for  a  guide,  struck  a  south-easterly  course,  leaping 
fences  and  ditches,  fording  streams,  and  passing 
through  thickets,  that  would  greatly  retard  the 
progress  of  the  bushwhackers  in  pursuit. 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  299 

The  chase  continued  until  about  one  o'clock.  The 
hounds,  for  the  most  part,  being  so  near  that  we 
could  hear  their  yelping  distinctly,  when,  fortu 
natcly,  we  came  to  a  large  creek ,  jumping  into  the 
stream,  we  followed  the  current  fifty  or  sixty  rods, 
and  then,  turning  to  the  sun  for  bur  point  of  com 
pass,  pushed  on. 

The  precaution  taken  upon  our  arrival  at  the  creek 
must  have  foiled  the  hounds ;  for  we  had  not  pro 
ceeded  far  when  we  became  fully  satisfied  that  we 
had  outgeneralled  the  bushwhackers.  We  did  not 
halt,  however,  but  continued  on  towards  the  prom 
ised  land.  Greatly  encouraged  by  our  success 
since  morning,  we  became  so  indiscreet  and  reckless 
as  to  venture  into  open  fields  whenever  they  hap 
pened  to  be  in  our  line  of  escape. 


A  NARROW  ESCAPE. 

At  about  two  o'clock  P.  M.,  just  as  we  were  clear 
ing  the  outskirts  of  a  swamp,  I  was  surprised  to 
see  my  companion  drop  suddenly  behind  a  large 
cypress-tree  without  uttering  a  word.  I  followed 
his  example,  not  deeming  it  prudent  to  ask  a  ques 
tion. 

I  fixed  my  attention  upon  Wright,  who,  after  re 
maining  motionless  a  few  moments,  raised  his  head 
and  looked  to  the  front.  Falling  back  behind  the 
aged  cypress,  he  whispered,  "Did  you  see  the 
picket?"  I  answered,  "No  ;  "  but  looking  up,  saw 
that  we  were  within  twenty  rods  of  armed  men. 


300  THE    CAPTURED  THE  PRISON  PEN, 

No  farther  observations  wore  necessary  to  con 
vince  us  that  the  sooner  out  of  such  quarters  the 
better.  We  had  not  time  to  move,  however,  before 
a  cavalry  patrol  came  up  to  visit  the  post,  and  to 
give  new  instructions.  As  soon  as  the  patrol  had 
passed,  we  crawled  back  upon  our  hands  and  knees 
into  the  swamp,  keeping  behind  a  clump  of  large 
trees  that  screened  us  from  the  picket.  Coming  to 
a  dry  spot,  we  halted  to  consider  the  propriety  of 
proceeding  farther,  as  there  was  great  danger  of 
being  seen  in  an  attempt  to  leave  the  place. 

Wright  decided  that  it  would  be  policy  to  remain 
where  we  wrere,  and  here  a  difference  of  opinion 
arose  again ;  as  I  was  so  wet  and  cold  that  the 
thought  of  confining  myself  to  such  limited  quarters, 
I  confess,  made  me  not  a  little  uneasy ;  for  we  could 
neither  stand  up  nor  lie  down.  Our  clothes,  too, 
were  wet,  the  weather  extremely  cold,  and  we  had 
not  slept  in  forty-eight  hours;  and  then,  too,  the 
idea  of  sitting  up  like  a  pair  of  mummies  five  hours. 

I  told  my  companion  the  thing  was  not  to  be 
thought  of,  and  that  I  would  strike  for  dry  land  if 
it  cost  me  a  re-capture. 

Wright  said  he  preferred  to  remain,  and  I  set  off 
without  him.  The  doubtful  point  was  passed  by 
watching  the  picket  and  making  good  time  when 
their  backs  were  turned. 

Getting  out  of  the  swamp,  I  went  in  quest  of  a 
favorable  haunt  where  I  might  lay  my  weary  limbs 
and  dry  my  clothes. 

I  was  delighted  as  well  as  amused  to  find  W. 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  301 

close  upon  my  heels,  glad  enough  to  abandon  the 
sitting  posture  for  something  more  agreeable.  I 
welcomed  him  to  my  new  place  of  concealment ; 
and  here  we  have  spent  the  afternoon  unmolested 
by  any  one.  Our  distance  from  the  picket  is  not 
more  than  eighty  rods.  We  are  inclined  to  think  it 
the  outpost. 

AN  AMUSDsTG  INCIDENT 

occurred  this  evening  a  few  moments  after  sunset. 
The  weather  being  extremely  cold,  and  our  clothes 
still  damp,  we  agreed  that  a  small  fire  would  be  very 
pleasant ;  and,  suiting  the  action  to  the  thought, 
dug  a  hole  in  the  ground,  gathered  some  pine  knots 
and  started  a  blaze,  which  in  my  judgment  could 
not  have  been  seen  by  any  one  at  a  distance  of  fifty 
feet,  but,  to  my  companion,  it  appeared  to  be  of 
gigdutic  proportions ;  and  his  imagination  became 
so  mucL  excited,  that  he  set  one  of  his  feet  over  it, 
and  thus  put  an  ond  both  to  my  enjoyment  and  the 
fire. 

I  was  disposed  to  be  angry,  but  thinking  it  not 
best  to  challenge  a  recapture  by  loud  words,  "  Nursed 
my  wrath  to  keep  it  warm." 

These  little  differences  of  opinion  are  things  to 
laugh  at  after  the  danger  is  over,  —  but  then  they 
might  have  proved  serious.  It  is  next  to  impossible 
for  two  men  to  travel  under  such  circumstances 
without  more  or  less  of  disagreement,  and  when  a 
man  considers  that  his  life  may  depend  upon  some 


302  THE    CAPTURE,  THE  _PRISON  PJ2.V, 

thoughtless  act  of  his  companion,  he  is  disposed  to 
adopt  energetic  measures. 

We  congratulated  ourselves  very  much  on  having 
escaped  the  pursuit  of  the  hounds.  It  is"  a  difficult 
matter  to  elude  them,  as  their  scent  is  very  accurate. 
There  are  two  kinds  of  hounds,  —  blood-hounds  and 
baying  hounds.  The  baying  or  yelping  hounds 
take  the  lead,  and  are  followed  by  the  blood-hounds, 
which  make  little  noise. 

These  yelping  curs  will  not  come  nearer  to  a  per 
son  than  four  or  five  rods,  but  will  cut  circles,  and 
thus  mark  their  locality  until  the  blood-hounds  or 
planters  come  up. 

TWENTY-EIGHTH  DAY. 


A.,       > 

Friday,  December  23.  5 

December  23d  was  the  happiest  day  of  my  life. 
and  one  that  will  ever  remain  a  bright  landmark  H 
the  recollection  of  the  past. 

We  succeeded  in  flanking  the  picket  the  previous 
evening  just  after  dark,  and  were  not  long  in  find 
ing  a  colored  friend,  familiarly  known  as 


among  his  acquaintances.  From  him  we  learned 
that  we  had  passed  the  Rebel  outposts.  Our  joy 
was  inexpressible  and  emotions  beyond  control  for 
more  glorious  news  never  fell  upon  the  ear. 

Uncle  Philip   also  informed  us  that  our  friends 
were  at  Cherokee  Hill,  on  the  Savannah  River  road, 


AND    THE  ESCAPE,  303 

only  eight  miles  distant.  "We  asked  him  if  he  could 
not  guide  us  to  the -lines.  He  replied,  "Ize  neber 
been  down  dah,  massa,  since  Mr.  Sherman's  com 
pany  went  to  Savannah ;  but  I  reckon  you  can  get 
Mr.  Jones,  a  free  culcrd  man,  to  take  you  ober. 
He  is  a  mighty  bright  pusson,  and  understands  cle 
swamps  jest  like  a  book."  Calling  at  Mr.  Jones'" 
hut,  we  learned  from  his  wife  that  he  was  out  on  a 
scout,  but  would  be  in  by  eleven  o'clock.  She  as 
sured  us  that  he  was  ever  glad  to  do  all  in  his  power 
for  the  Yankees,  and  asked  us  to  come  into  the  hut 
and  await  his  return.  We  very  reluctantly  com 
plied  with  her  invitation,  fearing  that 

EEBEL   SCOUTS 

might  venture  down  between  the  lines,  and  thus 
blast  our  brilliant  prospects. 

Mrs.  Jones,  however,  was  by  no  means  a  dull 
tactician,  and  offered  her  two  sons,  one  a  lad  of 
eight,  and  the  other  six  years,  for  outpost  duty. 

I  divided  the  command  and  posted  the  pickets, 
stationing  the  oldest  boy  in  the  road,  at  a  distance 
of  twenty  rods  from  the  hut,  and  used  the  other  for 
patrol,  who  was  to  keep  a  sharp  lookout ;  and,  in 
case  any  one  might  be  seen  approaching  the  post, 
was  to  notify  his  mother,  thereby  giving  her  an 
opportunity  to  conceal  us. 

This  matter  attended  to,  a  generous  supply  of 
hoe-cake  and  parched  corn  delighted  our  eyes ;  for 
Auntie  was  not  long  in  appeasing  our  hunger  with 


304  THE    CAPTURE,   THE  PRISON' 

the  best  her  humble  cot  afforded.  Jones  came  in  at 
tne  mentioned  hour,  but  did  not  think  himself  suf 
ficiently  well  acquainted  with  the  safest  route  to 
warrant  his  acting  in  the  capacity  of  guide ;  but, 
like  all  other  negroes  -that  I  have  met  in  the  South, 
he  very  readily  called  to  mind  one  whom  he  thought 
would  accompany  us,  and  whom  he  could  recom 
mend  very  highly  as  an  active  and  intelligent  fellow. 
Securing  a  small  piece  of  fat  pine  for  a  torch  to 
light  our  way  through  an  intervening  swamp,  we 
started  for  the  Savannah  River  road,  beyond  which 
the  negro  could  be  found  whose  many  good  qual 
ities  had  been  pointed  out  to  myself  and  companion. 
Much  to  our  astonishment, 

COLORED   MAN   NO.    2 

was  not  so  well  posted  as  the  man  wrho  recom 
mended  him  ;  but  luckily,  and  much  to  our  delight, 
he  very  promptly  referred  to  another  negro,  wrho 
had  come  up  from  our  lines  the  same  morning,  and 
who,  he  thought,  would  be  glad  to  return  with  us. 
The  negro  last  recommended  bore  the  name  of 

MARCH   DASHER. 

We  found  him  to  be  a  genuine  Ethiopian,  as 
black  as  any  colored  individual  I  have  ever  met ; 
and  as  dignified  and  devout  as  he  was  active  and 
swarthy.  Upon  being  asked  if  he  could  show  us 
the  way  to  Cherokee  Hill,  he  replied,  — 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  305 


DO    IT,    MASSA, 

T\re  desired  to  start  at  once,  but  could  not 
persuade  him  to  move  before  daylight.  He  said, 
"Dis  chile  knows  where  de  pickets  is  in  de  day 
time,  but  knows  nuffin  'bout  'em  after  dark."  Sev 
eral  attempts  were  made  to  induce  us  to  remain  in 
the  hut  till  morning  ;  but  no  amount  of  safety  in 
surances  could  persuade  us  to  take  such  an  appar 
ently  inconsiderate  step. 

The  idea  that  it  would  not  be  policy  to  move  on 
before  morning  inclined  us  to  think  that  our  land 
lord  might  be  treacherous,  and  we  were  not  a  little 
uneasy  until  prayer  was  offered  for  our  benefit,  when 
we  became  fully  satisfied  that  we  could  at  least  re 
pose  confidence  in  his  fidelity.  As  soon  as  prayers 
were  concluded,  we  betook  ourselves  to  a  pine 
thicket,  determined  to  give  March  no  peace  until 
he  should  set  off  with  us. 

THE  NEGRO'S  CLOCK  NEEDS  NO  REPAIRING. 

At  about  one  o'clock  in  the  morning,  Wright 
turned  oufcaud  told  him  that  day  had  just  began  to 
break.  He  got  up,  came  to  the  door,  looked  for 
the  seven  stars,  and  then  remarked,  in  a  very  good 
humored  way,  "I  reckon  it's  good  many  hours  yet 
till  break  ob  day,  massa.  Yer  can't  fool  March 
on  de  time  ;  his  clock  neber  breaks  down.  It's  jest 
right  ebery  time."  Feeling  somewhat  chagrined  at 
his  ill  success,  AVright  returned  to  the  thicket  say 
ing,  "Glazier,  there  is  no  use  of  being  in  a  sweat  ;  for 
13 


306  THE   CAPTURE,  THE  PRISON  PEX, 

you  might  as  well  undertake  to  move  a  mountain  as 
to  get  the  start  of  that  colored  individual."  We  made 
no  further  attempt  to  dupe  our  guide,  but  very  im 
patiently  awaited  his  call.  He  came  to  our  place  of 
concealment  at  the  first  peep  of  day,  and  said,  "Gem- 
men,  now  I'ze  ready  to  take  you  right  plum  into 
Mr.  Sherman's  company  by  'sun  up.'"  We  fol 
lowed  him  without  ceremony ;  and  just  as  old  Sol 
began  to  tint  the  hill-sides  with  his  first  rays,  we 
saw,  with  unbounded  joy, 

A   GROUP   OF   BLUE    COATS 

watching  very  eageTly  our  approach  ;  for  it  was  the 
Federal  outpost.  At  first,  we  were  evidently  re 
garded  as  an  enemy  ;  but  by  taking  off  our  hats  and 
making  friendly  signs,  their  suspicions  were  allayed, 
and  they  beckoned  us  to  come  on.  A  most  cordial 
reception  was  given  us  by  the  picket,  which  proved 
to  be  a  detail  from  the  One  Hundred  and  First  Illi 
nois  Volunteers,  Twentieth  Army  Corps. 

We  took  each  man  by  the  hand,  congratulating 
him  upon  his  good  fortune  in  surviving  the  death 
blow  to  Eebellion  in  Georgia;  and  they, 411  return, 
rejoiced  at  our  successful  escape.  Haversacks  were 
opened,  and  placed  at  our  disposal.  There  was  a 
great  demand  for  hard  tack  and  coffee ;  but  the 
beauty  of  it  all  was, 

MAJOR   TURNER   WAS   NOT   THERE 

to  say  what  he  has  often  repeated,  "Reduce  their 
rations ;  I'll  teach  the  damned  scoundrels  not  to 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  307 

attempt  an  escape."  I  shall  ever  remember  my 
feelings  when  I  began  to  realize  the  fact  that  I  was 
no  longer  a  prisoner,  and  when  I  beheld  the  w  old 
flag  "  floating  triumphantly  over  the  invincible  vet 
erans,  who  followed  the  "Great  General"  down  to 
the  sea, 


^        808  THE    CAPTURE,  THE   PRISON  PAN* 


CHAPTER    XVII. 

HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

SAVANNAH,  GA.,  December  24,  1864. 

AFTER  breakfast  at  the  picket  post,  we  came  into 
the  city  with  a  brigade  of  the  Twentieth  Army 
Corps,  which  formed  a  part  of  the  rear-guard  of 
General  Sherman's  army.  It  would  have  been  a 
difficult  matter,  even  for  intimate  friends,  to  have 
identified  us  in  our  motley  uniforms.  For  myself, 
I  was  clad  in  a  coat  of  Southern  gray,  blue  pants, 
my  shoes,  —  before  described,  —  a  bewitched  look 
ing  hat,  and  gray  blanket,  which  for  months  had 
answered  the  purpose  of  bed  and  bedding. 

My  haversack  was  a  curiosity  in  its  way,  being 
composed  of  an  old  towel,  which  was  sewed  up  by 
Lemon  many  weeks  before.  Said  haversack  h^ 
borne  its  journey  well,  but  now  showed  unmistaka 
ble  signs  of  dissolution.  Sweet  potatoes,  unless  of 
u  fabulous  size,  slipped  through  as  readily  as  money 
through  a  soldier's  fingers ;  and  large  must  have 
been  the  loaf  which  could  retain  quarters  within  its 
awful  depths.  I  would  give  Wright  the  preference 
of  a  description,  but  having  had  the  impudence  to 
look  better  than  I  did,  he  does  not  deserve  it. 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  309 

Many  pleasant  incidents  occurred  during  our  ride 
into  the  city.  A  major  and  a  surgeon,  whose  names 
I  have  been  so  ungrateful  as  to  forget,  kindly  offered 
us  their  horses,  and  dismounted  for  our  convenience. 
The  offer  was  gratefully  accepted,  for  we  were  both 
weak  and  weary,  and  Lieutenant  Wright  had  as 
sisted  me  for  some  time  on  our  way. 

On  reaching  the  city,  "Wright's  first  inquiry  was 
for  his  old  regiment ;  but  it  was  like  a  search  in  the 
dark.  The  unsettled  state  of  the  army  rendered  it 
difficult  to  learn  the  location  of  any  particular  regi 
ment  or  brigade ;  but  we  found  the  corps  to  which 
his  regiment  belonged,  and  were  sent  under  guard 
from  corps  to  regimental  headquarters  with  a  de 
mand  for  recognition,  and  a  receipt  therefor. 

Such  treatment  seemed  hard  at  first ;  but  when 
we  reflected  upon  our  checkered  costume  and  sus 
picious  appearance,  we  readily  fell  into  their  way 
of  thinking ;  for,  until  we  were  identified,  it  would 
have  been  no  wonder  that  we  were  looked  upon  as 
spies  or  desperadoes. 

Having  played  the  Rebel  so  long,  we  ourselves 
had  our  allegiance  slightly  mixed,  but  by  a  deal  of 
recollecting  and  protesting,  we  came  at  length  to 
convince  ourselves,  and  the  authorities  also,  that 
some  time,  away  back  in  the  past,  we  had  been 
Union  men,  and  belonged  to  the  Federal  army.  In 
accordance  with  which  conclusion  we  were  pro 
nounced  genuine  Union  soldiers,  and  received  cer 
tificates  of  the  sane  to  jog  our  memories  in  the 
future.  At  night  we  stopped  with  Captain  A.  L. 


^         310  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON  PEN, 

Swallow,  of  Lieutenant  "Wright's  company.  He  is  a 
noble  man,  and  ministered  to  our  wants  like  a  father. 
Our  circumstances  becoming  known,  no  pains  were 
spared  to  make  us  comfortable  and  happy.  Com 
fortable  clothing  was  soon  distributed  to  us,  and  we 
began  to  look  like  civilized  persons. 

CHRISTMAS  DAY. 

The  greater  part  of  the  day  was  spent  in  the  city. ' 
Took  dinner  with  Mr.  H.  Brown.  His  residence 
was  on  Congress  Street  opposite  the  Pulaski  House. 
Mr.  Brown  wTas  known  as  a  firm  Union  man,  and 
although  he  had  suffered  much  from  adherence  to 
his  principles,  and  frequently  been  stripped  of  his 
goods,  he  still  remained  true  to  the  old  flag  an  5  the 
government  of  his  fathers.  Lieutenant  E.  H.  Tales, 
who  was  a  fellow-prisoner  at  Charleston,  was  found 
secreted  at  Mr.  Brown's  house  when  our  army  en 
tered  Savannah.  The  lieutenant  was  in  the  city  for 
more  than  a  month,  representing  himself  as  a  very 
innocent  foreigner,  but  was  at  one  time  conscripted 
and  ordered  on  the  defences. 

AT  KILPATBICK'S  HEAD-QUARTERS,  December  26. 

Lieutenant  Tales  and  myself  procured  horses  from 
the  quartermaster  of  the  Twentieth  Corps  and  rode 
out  to  Kilpatrick's  head-quarters  in  the  afternoon, 
my  object  being  to  secure  identification  by  General 
Kilpatrick,  in  order  to  obtain  transportation  North, 
as  he  was  the  only  officer  in  the  department  who 
knerv  me  to  have  been  in  the  United  States  service 


THE    ESCAPE.  311 

previous  to  my  capture.  The  General  had  the  kind 
ness  to  furnish  me  with  the  necessary  papers,  which 
were  all  that  detained  me  from  going  by  the  first  boat. 

TVre  took  supper  with  the  General  and  Captain 
Estes  of  his  staff,  who  were  much  interested  in  my 
account  of  prison  life  and  escape.  One  hardly  likes 
to  be  the  hero  of  his  own  tales,  but  modesty  was  no 
plea  for  silence  under  the  circumstances. 

My  term  of  service  having  expired,  I  was  very 
anxious  to  get  home  to  the  North.  The  unsettled 
state  of  the  army  made  delays  unavoidable,  and  I 
was  forced  to  bide  my  time. 

STEAMSHIP  "  PLANTER,"  December  29. 

Took  passage  on  the  steamship  "Planter"  early  in 
the  evening.  This  is  the  boat  which  was  run  out 
of  Charleston  harbor  by  a  negro  pilot  then  in  com 
mand  of  her  as  captain.  The  craft  had  seen  hard 
service,  and  was  badly  peppered  on  her  retirement 
from  Rebel  service.  She  was  then  running  in  Gov 
ernment  employ,  as  far  as  the  obstructions  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Savannah  River,  where  she  transferred 
her  cargo  and  returned  again.  There  was  a  channel 
through  these  obstructions,  but  few  pilots  could  take*- 
a  vessel  through  them. 

Only  ii  few  days  after  the  capture  of  the  city,  a 
blockade-runner,  fresh  from  Manchester,  England, 
in  happy  ignorance  of  the  result,  carefully  dodged 
our  vessels,  which,  just  as  carefully  kept  out  of  the 
way,  and  made  her  way  into  the  harbor.  She  was 
fast  to  the  dock  before  the  mistake  was  discovered, 


812  THE   CAPTURE,  THE  PRISON  PEN, 

when  her  commander  was  arrested,  and  her  cargo 
confiscated. 

The  commander  of  the  "Planter"  was  a  "colored 
person"  of  some  consequence.  One  of  our  officers 
going  on  board  mistook  him  for  the  boot-black,  and 
sang  out,  "Hello,  cufFee,  black  my  boots?" 

The  dusky  captain  turned,  with  a  look  of  disdain 
and  answered,  "I  dunno  nuffin  'bout  boot  blackin*. 
I  commands  dis  craft,  I  is." 

Lieutenant  Fales  took  passage  with  me  for  New 
York.  Wright's  term  of  service  having  expired, 
he  remained  at  Savannah  to  be  mustered  out,  and  I 
bade  him  an  earnest  farewell. 

STEAMSHIP  "  ASHLANIT,"  HILTON  HEAD,  December  30. 

"We  were  transferred  from  the  "  Planter  "  to  the 
"Delaware"  during  the  night,  and  reached  Hilton 
Head,  S.  C.,  in  the  afternoon  where  we  were  tick 
eted  by  the  steamer  "  Ashland "  for  the  Empire 
State  —  bless  her  dear  old  name  !  Many  a  poor 
fellow  who  started  out  with  us  will  never  again 
press  her  soil,  nor  be  welcomed  home  by  those  who 
arc  anxiously  awaiting  their  coming. 
r  The  "  Ashland  "  is  a  small  ocean  steamer,  and  was 
commanded  by  Thomas  Cowdry,  an  old  sea  captain, 
weather-beaten  and  brave. 

IN  A  GALE  OFF  CAPE  HATTERAS,  January  2,  18C5. 

New  Year's  day  we  were  in  an  awful  gale,  which 
threatened  us  with  a  speedy  and  watery  grave.  All 
the  passengers  were  sea-sick,  and  all  of  the  crew, 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  313 

save  those  directly  connected  with  the  management 
of  the  vessel.  This  being  my  first  experience  with 
old  Neptune,  my  case  was  none  of  the  mildest.  The 
captain  comforted  us  by  expatiating  on  the  strong 
points  of  his  vessel,  and  pointing  out  her  beauties 
in  a  manner  quite  mistifyiug  to  a  landsman. 

•  NEW  YORK,  January  4. 

Our  vessel  grated  along  the  wharf  about  twelve 
o'clock  at  night,  and  I  awoke  to  the  glorious  realiz 
ation  that  I  was  again  breathing  the  air  of  my  native 
State.  There  was  an  exhilarating  rapture  in  the 
thought,  that  has  fixed  its  memory  firmly  in  my 
mind.  I  hope  never  to  become  so  hardened  that 
that  patriotic  and  Christian  exultation  will  be  an 
unpleasant  recollection. 

With  many  a  brave  and  fondly  cherished  comrade, 
• —  and  with  thousands  whose  faces  I  never  knew, 
but  whose  sufferings  I  shared,  —  I  can  sing,  — 

v  Now  our  prison  life  is  over !    Ah !  it  is  a  pleasant  thought, 
And  we  here  await  our  furloughs,  ere  again  our  homes  are 

sought. 
Farewell  South,  and  all  thy  dead  lines !    Farewell  traitors, 

robbers  too ! 
Cherished  friends  of  youth  and  childhood,  we  are  coming 

home  to  you ! 
And  will  not  your  smiles  of  welcome  half  repay  our  griefs 

and  cares, 
When  once  more  you  see  us  sitting  in  the  old  familiar 

chairs? 
But  there's  One  who  reigns  above  us — we  should  give  our 

thanks  to  him, 
13* 


314  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON 

For  the  bright  hopes  in  the  bosoms,  where  sweet  hope  alas 

was  dim. 
For  his  kind  and  loving  presence,  that  at  last  we  lived  to 

stand 
Free  from  prison  life  in  Dixie,  in  our  own  beloved  and 

loyal  land. 

Let  us  pray  for  peace  forever,  for  the  Union  glad  and  free, 
With  a  tear  for  comrades  faithful,  whom  we  never  more 

shall  see.  9 

Ever  trusting  One  above  us,  though  the  clouds  may  gather 

fast, 
Knowing  well  our  Father's  mansion  will  receive  us  at  the 

last." 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  8 15 


CHAPTER  XVni. 

[The  succeeding  pages  are  devoted  principally  to  the  testi 
mony  of  individuals  who  have  been  confined  in  other  prisons.] 

AT   MILLIN "CAMP  LAWTOtf." 

CONSPICUOUS  upon  the  list  of  Rebel  prisons  stands 
tLe  pen  known  South  as  Camp  Lawton,  near  Miilin, 
Georgia. 

The  following  is  the  testimony  of  Sergeant  W. 
Goodyear,  Seventh  Regiment,  C.  V.,  who  was  re 
moved  to  that  place  from  Andersonville  on  th§  1st 
of  November,  1864. 

It  was  pleasantly  situated,  about  eighty  miles 
north  of  Savannah,  in  a  country  where  pine  forests 
abound.  Indeed,  these  were  a  prominent  feature  in 
the  external  surroundings  of  many  of  the  Southern 
prisons.  Trees  would  be  felled,  a  clearing  made, 
and  here  located  the  rude  structure  that  was  to  bo 
the  cheerless  home  of  thousands  for  long,  weary 
months.  Could  a  voice  be  given  to  these  silent 
groves,  and  they  become  witnesses  of  what  they 
have  seen  and  heard,  what  revelations  would  be 
made  of  things  that  can  never  be  known  now  ! 

The  medium  of  human  language  fails  to  convey 
aLJ  the  meaning  involved  in  prison  life  in  the  South. 


316  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON  PEN, 

It  is  true  that  a  great  part  of  the  suffering  in  this 
present  war,  as  in  all  wars,  must  forever  remain 
with  the  secrets  of  unwritten  history.  A  few,  who 
were  themselves  actors  in  the  tragic  scenes,  may 
rehearse  the  story  of  their  individual  experience, 
and  thus  furnish,  as  it  were,  a  key  to  unlock  the 
gates  through  which  others  may  enter  and  take  a 
look.  This  is  the  only  way  in  which  the  people  at 
large  can  become  acquainted  with  this  thrilling 
portion  of  the  war;  and  authentic  and  reliable 
statements  are  therefore  of  deep  interest  and  im 
portance. 

THE    INCLOSUKE. 

"  Forty-four  acres  of  ground  were  inclosed  by  the 
stockade  at  Mill  in.  The  large  pine  timber,  which 
was  $ut  down  at  the  commencement  of  operations 
for  building  the  prison,  was  left  upon  the  ground; 
and  when  the  first  prisoners  went  into  their  confine 
ment  there,  they  found  these  to  be  greatly  to  their 
advantage ;  for  they  were  able  to  construct  for 
themselves  comfortable  huts  of  logs  and  branches 
lying  about  them.  In  this  respect  they  were  more 
fortunate  than  many,  or  most  others.  The  last  di 
vision  that  entered  had  no  shelter  at  all,  or  at  least 
of  any  account.  A  small  stream  of  good  water  ran 
through  the  centre,  which  the  men  highly  prized, 
particularly  as  it  afforded  the  much  needed  privi 
lege  of  bathing.  At  the  time  of  my  arrival  there, 
the  list  of  prisoners  numbered  nine  thousand.  The 
weather  was  very  cold  and  stormy;  and  *s  the 


AND   THE  ESCAPE.  317 

majority  of  the  men  were  very  poorly  clad,  many 
of  them  being  without  shoes,  blankets,  or  coats,  and 
also  without  shelter,  the  suffering  was  very  great; 
No  medicine  was  issued  to  the  men  within  the  stock  - 
ade,  and  but  very  few  were  taken  outside  to  the 
hospital ;  consequently  the  mortality  was  fearful. 

AVERAGE   NUMBER   OF  DEATHS   PER  DAY. 

"  The  number  of  deaths  averaged  from  twenty-five 
to  thirty-five  per  day.  The  prevailing  diseases 
were  such  as  are  common  to  almost  all  prisons  — 
the  scurvy, 'diarrhoea,  and  rheumatism.  It  was  no 
uncommon  occurrence  for  the  morning  light  to  re 
veal  the  pallid  faces  of  three  or  four  prisoners  who 
had  laid  down  side  by  side,  showing  that  death 
had  claimed  them  all  during  the  night.  Such 
sights  were  heart-rending  to  the  most  unfeeling  — 
the  most  stoical.  The  prisoner  is  condemned  to 
these  things,  and  there  is  no  alternative  but  for  him 
to  gaze  upon  them,  however  sad  and  revolting  they 
may  be.  He  must  steel  himself  against  that  which 
once  would  have  sent  sympathy  through  his  whole 
being  —  a  gushing  tide.  It  could  not  be  that  the 
fountain  of  pity  be  stirred  to  its  depths  so  often. 
Nature  could  not  sustain  the  pressure  ;  therefore  it 
seems  that  the  whole  is  something  like  a  martyr 
process,  in  which  the  very  juices  of  life  are  crushed 
out  by  an  uncontrollable  force. 

"At  the  beginning  of  my  stay  at  Millin,  the  rations 
which  were  issued  Tvere  do  ible  the  amount  we  had 


318  THE    CAPTURED   THE   PRISON 

at  Anclersonville.  We  drew  one  pint  of  meal,  six 
ounces  of  uncooked  beef,  six  spoonfuls  of  rice,  one 
teaspoonful  of  salt,  as  our  allowance  for  twenty-four 
hours.  Beans  were  sometimes  substituted  for  rice  ; 
but  these  were  so  much  eaten  by  insects  that  they 
were  often  thrown  away  without  being  tasted. 
After  a  little  while,  however,  the  quantity  decreased 
every  clay,  so  that  it  became  nearly  as  small  and 
poor  as  those  issued  in  other  prisons. 

INDUCEMENTS  TO  ENTER  THE  REBEL  SERVICE. 

"  The  prospect  of  being  exchanged  or  paroled  was 
so  small  that  some  availed  themselves  of  the  oppor 
tunity  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  Confed- 
^rate  government,  and  entered  the  Rebel  service. 
The  inducements  which  were  offered  them  to  do 
this,  were  three  bushels  of  sweet  potatoes,  a  suit  of 
clothes,  and  one  hundred  dollars  in  Confederate 
scrip.  I  was  myself  acquainted  with  quite  a  num 
ber  who  did  this ;  and  although  I  would  make  no 
excuse  for  them,  I  know  the  motive  by  which  they 
were  actuated.  They  knew  no  chance  of  getting 
out  of  prison  alive.  They  had  barely  clothes  to 
cover  their  nakedness,  and  they  thought  to  prolong 
their  -existence  in  this  way ;  and  coupled  with  this 
was  the  idea  of  escaping  and  fleeing  to  the  Union 
lines  at  the  very  first  opportunity.  But  the  whole 
thing  was  considered  a  mean,  disgraceful  act  by 
every  true  patriot  I  would  have  died  a  dozen 
deaths  rather  than  to  have  been  guilty  of  such  a 


AND   TSE  ESCAPE.  321 

thing,  and  there  were  thousands  of  others  of  the 
same  mind. 


VOTING   AT  MILLIN   PRISON. 

"As  the  time  of  the  presidential  election  drew  near, 
the  Rebels  expressed  a  desire  that  we  should  vote 
upon  the  question  ourselves.  Accordingly  ballot- 
boxes  were  procured,  and  on  the  day  when  the  people 
of  the  North  were  deciding  the  momentous  issue,  we 
gathered  together  in  Millin  Prison,  and  in  the  midst 
of  great  excitement,  gave  expression  to  our  political 
preferences.  We  knew  that  it  was  war  or  peace. 
As  we  deposited  our  votes,  so  did  we  speak  for  one 
or  the  other,  and  show  forth  our  position  in  the 
country's  cause.  At  sunset  the  votes  were  counted, 
and  the  result  was  three  thousand  and  fourteen 
votes  for  Lincoln,  and  ten  hundred  and  fifty  for 
McClellan.  

CAME  TOO  NEAR  THE  DEAD  LINE. 

"I  am  indebted  to  O.  E.  Dahl,  late  lieutenant, 
Fifteenth  Wisconsin  Infantry,  for  the  following 
particulars  relative  to  the  murder  of  Lieutenant 
Turbayne,  which  occurred  after  my  escape  from 
Columbia. 

"About  ten  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  1st  of 
December,  18G4,  Camp  Sorghum  was  startled  with 
the  report  of  a  musket,  and  soon  the  news  spread 
through  camp  that  Lieutenant  Turbayne,  Sixty- 
eighth  New- York  Infantry,  had  been  shot  —  mur- 


322  THE   CAPTURE)   THE  PRISON  PEN, 

dered  by  one  of  the  guard,  a  Mr.  Williams  of 
Xewbury  Court  House,  South  Carolina: 

"  Turbay ne  was  walking  along  a  path  that  ran  by 
the  corner  of  a  hut,  near  the  "dead  line," but  inside 
of  it.  Along  this  path  the  prisoners  had  walked 
hundreds  of  times  without  fear,  for  it  was  on  our 
own  ground.  As  Turbayne  came  along,  the  guard 
brought  his  piece  to  the  shoulder,  halted,  and  or 
dered  him  back.  He  turned  to  go,  walked  a  step 
or  two,  when  the  villain  shot  him  through  the  back, 
the  ball  passing  through  his  lungs.  He  staggered  a 
few  steps,  fell,  and  died  within. a  few  minutes. 

"Not  only  did  Major  Griswold  refuse  to  investigate 
the  matter,  but  after  the  murderer  had  been  relieved 
by  the  officer  of  the  day,  he  sent  him  back  on  duty 
that  afternoon  on  the  front  line,  and  also  into  camp 
next  morning,  surrounded  by  a  body  guard,  for  fear 
the  officers  would  do  violence  to  him  —  an  insult  of 
the  blackest  dye." 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  823 


CHAPTER   XIX. 

SALISBURY  PRISON . 

THE  prison  at  Salisbury,  North  Carolina,  which 
became  so, notorious  during  the  war  as  one  of  the 
most  loathsome  dungeons  in  Rebeldom,  was  at  first 
intended  as  a  place  of  punishment  for  Southern  sol 
diers  guilty  of  military  offences,  and  as  a  place  of 
committal  for  hostages,  who  where  usually  sentenced 
to  hard  labor.  It  more  recently  came  into  general 
use,  and  hundreds  of  unfortunate  victims  said  their 
last  farewell  in  that  miserable  den.  In  order  that 
we  may  obtain  a  better  view  of  this  horrible  abode, 
I  will  transcribe  the  testimony  of  Messrs.  Richard 
son  and  Brown,  both  widely  known  as  correspond 
ents  for  the  public  press. 

The  following  statement  was  made  by  the  former, 
before  the  Committee  on  the  Conduct  of  the  War : 

"  I  was  captured  on  a  hay-bale  in  the  Mississippi 
River,  opposite  Vicksburg,  on  the  3d  of  May,  1863, 
at  midnight.  After  a  varied  experience  in  six  dif 
ferent  prisons,  I  was  sent  to  Salisbury  on  the  3d  of 
February,  1864,  from  which  place  I  escaped  on  the 
18th  of  December  following. 

"For  months,  Salisbury  was  the  most  endurable 


THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON  PEN, 

prison  I  had  seen  ;  there  were  six  hundred  inmates. 
They  were  exercised  in  the  open  air,  comparatively 
well  fed,  and  kindly  treated.  Early  in  October 
ten  thousand  regular  prisoners  of  war  arrived.  It 
immediately  changed  into  a  scene  of  cruelty  and 
horror;  it  was  densely  crowded,  rations  were  cut 
down  and  issued  very  irregularly ;  friends  outside 
could  not  even  send  in  a  plate  of  food. 

RATIONS. 

"  The  prisoners  suffered  considerably,  and  often 
intensely,  for  the  want  of  bread  and  shelter ;  those 
who  had  to  live  or  die  on  prison  rations,  always 
suffered  from  hunger ;  very  frequently,  one  or  more 
divisions  of  one  thousand  men  would  receive  no 
rations  for  twenty-four  hours  ;  sometimes  they  were 
without  food  for  forty-eight  hours.  A  few,  who 
had  money,  would  pay  from  five  to  twenty  dollars 
in  Rebel  currency  for  a  little  loaf  of  bread.  Many, 
though  the  weather  was  inclement  and  snow  fre 
quent,  sold  the  coats  from  their  backs  and  shoes 
from  their  feet.  I  was  assured,  on  authority  entirely 
trustworthy,  that  a  great  commissary  warehouse 
near  the  prison  was  filled  with  provisions.  The 
commissary  found  it  difficult  to  find  storage  for  his 
corn  and  meal ;  and  when  a  subordinate  asked  the 
post  commandant,  Major  John  H.  Gee,  K  Shall  I 
give  the  prisoners  full  rations  ?  "  he  replied  with  an 
oath,  "Xo  !  give  them  quarter  rations." 

WI   know  from  personal   observation,  that  corn 


AND   THE  ESCAPE.  325 

and  pork,  are  very  abundant  in  the  region  about 
Salisbury. 

PRISONERS   WITHOUT   SHELTER. 

"For  weeks  the  prisoners  had  no  shelter  what 
ever;  they  were  all  thinly  clad,  thousands  were 
barefooted,  not  one  in  twenty  had  an  overcoat  or 
blanket,  many  hundreds  were  without  shirts,  and 
hundreds  were  without  blouses.  One  Sibley  tent 
and  one  A  tent  were  furnished  to  each  squad  of  one 
hundred  ;  with  the  closest  crowding,  these  sheltered 
about  half  the  prisoners.  The  rest  burrowed  in 
the  ground,  crept  under  the  buildings,  or  shivered 
through  the  night  in  the  open  air  upon  the  frozen 
ground. 

"  If  the  Rebels,  at  the  time  of  our  capture  had 
not  stolen  our  shelter-tents,  blankets,  clothing,  and 
money,  they  would  have  suffered  little  from  cold. 
If  the  prison  authorities  had  permitted  them,  either 
on  parole  or  under  guard,  to  cut  logs  within  two 
miles  of  the  prison,  the  men  would  have  built  com 
fortable  and  ample  barracks  in  one  week ;  but  the 
commandant  would  not  consent,  — he  did  not  even 
furnish  one-half  the  fuel  needed. 

HORRIBLE    CONDITION   OF   THE   HOSPITALS. 

"The  hospitals  were  in  a  horrible  condition. 
Moro  than  half  who  entered  them  died  in  a  few 
days.  The  deceased,  always  without  coffins,  were 
loaded  into  the  dead  carts,  piled  on  each  other  like 


326  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON  PEN, 

logs  of  wood,  and  so  driven  out  to  be  thrown  in  a 
trench  and  covered  with  earth. 

"  The  Eebel  surgeons  were  generally  humane  and 
attentive,  and  endeavored  to  improve  the  shocking 
condition  of  the  hospitals ;  but  the  Salisbury  and 
Richmond  authorities  disregarded  their  protests. 

THE  ATTEMPTED  OUTBREAK. 

"On  the  25th  of  November,  many  of  the  prison 
ers  had  been  without  food  for  forty-eight  hours,  and 
were  desperate,  without  any  matured  plan.  A  few 
of  them  said,  '  We  may  as  well"  die  in  one  way  as 
another;  let  us  break  out  of  this  horrible  place.' 
Some  of  them  wrested  the  guns  from  a  relief  of 
fifteen  Eebel  soldiers,  just  entering  the  yard,  killing 
two  who  resisted,  and  wounding  five  or  six  others, 
and  attempted  to  open  the  fence ;  but  they  had 
neither  adequate  tools  nor  concert  of- action.  Before 
they  could  effect  a  breach,  every  gun  of  the  garrison 
was  turned  on  them.  The  field  pieces  opened  with 
grape  and  canister,  and  they  dispersed  to  their 
quarters.  In  five  minutes  from  its  beginning  the 
attempt  was  quelled,  and  hardly  a  prisoner  was  to 
be  seen  in  the  yard.  The  Rebels  killed  sixteen  in 
all,  and  wounded  sixty.  Not  one-tenth  of  the  pris 
oners  had  taken  part  in  the  attempt ;  and  many  of 
them  were  ignorant  of  it  until  they  heard  the  guns. 
Deliberate,  cold-blooded  murders  of  peaceable' men, 
where  there  was  no  pretence  that  they  were  break 
ing  any  prison  regulation,  were  very  frequent. 

"Our  lives  were   never    safe  for  one   moment. 


AND    THE  EST.1PE.  827 

Any  sentinel,  at  any  hour  of  the  day  or  night,  could 
deliberately  shoot  down  any  prisoner,  or  fire  into  a 
group  of  them,  black  or  white,  and  never  be  taken 
off  his  post  for  it. 

"  I  left  about  six  thousand  and  five  hundred  re 
maining  in  garrison  on  the  clay  of  my  escape,  and 
they  were*  then  d}ring  at  the  average  rate  of  twenty- 
eight  per  day,  or  thirteen  per  cent,  a  month.  The 
simple  truth  is,  that  the  Rebel  authorities  are  mur 
dering  our  soldiers  at  Salisbury  by  cold  and  hunger, 
while  they  might  easily  supply  them  wTith  ample 
food  and  fuel.  They  are  doing  this  systematically, 
and  I  believe  arc  killing  them  intentionally,  for  the 
purpose  either  of  forcing  our  government  to  an  ex 
change,  or  forcing  our  men  into  their  owi:  army." 

The  testimony  of  Mr.  Brown,  also  a  correspond 
ent  of  the  "Tribune,"  corroborates  the  above  state 
ments  of  Mr.  Richardson.  He  says  : 

"  I  have  often  wished  that  I  could  obtab  a  photo 
graph  of  that  room  in  Salisbury  Prison ;  foi  I  can 
give  no  idea  of  its  repulsiveness  and  superi*tive 
squalor. 

ORIGINAL  DESIGN  OF   SALISBURY  PRISON. 

"  The  prison  was.  formerly  a  cotton  factory,  about 
ninety  by  thirty  feet ;  and  when  we  were  there, 
they  had  only  six  or  seven  hundred  confined  within 
its  walls.  A  dirtier,  smokier,  drearier,  and  more 
unwholesome  place  I  had  never  seen  than  the  room 
in  which  we  were  placed.  It  reminded  me  of  some 
old  junk-shop  in  South  Street  of  the  city  I  had 


828  THE   CAPTURE,    THE   PAISON  PEtf, 

left,  and  was  hung  round  with  filthy  rags,  tattered 
quilts  and  blankets,  reeking  with  vermin,  which  the 
wretched  inmates  used  as  clothes  and  bed  covering, 
and  thronged  mostly  with  Northern  and  Southern 
citizens,  most  of  whom  were  in  garments  long  worn 
out,  and  as  far  removed  from  cleanliness  as  the 
wearers  from  happiness.  In  that  abhored  abode  we 
were  compelled  to  eat  and  sleep  as  best  we  might. 
There  were  but  two  stoves,  both  old  and  broken,  in 
the  room ;  and  they  gave  out  no  heat,  but  any 
quantity  of  smoke,  which  filled  the  apartment  with 
bitter  blueness.  Vermin  swarmed  everywhere ; 
they  tortured  us  while  we  tried  to  sleep  on  our 
coarse  blankets,  and  kept  us  in  torment  when  awake. 
No  light  of  any  kind  was  furnished  us ;  and  there 
we  sat  night  after  night  in  the  thick  darkness,  in 
haling  the  foul  vapors  and  the  acrid  smoke,  longing 
for  the  morning,  when  we  could  again  catch  a 
glimpse  of  the  overarching  sky. 

PRISON   LIFE. 

"Think  of  this  death-life  month  after  month! 
Think  of  men  of  delicate  organization,  accustomed 
to  ease  and  luxury,  of  fine  taste,  and  a  passionate 
love  for  the  beautiful,  without  a  word  of  sympathy, 
or  a  whisper  of  hope,  wearing  their  days  out  amid 
such  scenes.  Not  a  pleasant  sound,  nor  a  sweet 
odor,  nor  a  vision  of  fairness,  ever  reached  them. 
They  were  buried  as  completely  as  if  they  lay  be 
neath  the  ruins  of  Pompeii  or  Herculaneum.  They 
breathed  mechanically,  but  were  shut  out  from  all 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  329 

that  renders  existence  endurable.  Every  sense  was 
shocked  perpetually,  and  yet  the  heart,  by  a  strange 
inconsistency,  kept  up  its  throbs,  and  preserved  the 
physical  being  of  a  hundred  and  fifty  wretched  cap 
tives,  who,  no  doubt,  often  prayed  to  die.  Few 
persons  can  have  any  idea  of  a  long  imprisonment 
in  the  South.  They  usually  regard  it  as  an  absence 
of  freedom,  a  deprivation  of  the  pleasures  and  ex 
citements  of  ordinary  life.  They  do  not  take  into 
consideration  the  scant  and  miserable  rations  that 
no  one,  unless  he  be  half-famished,  can  eat ;  the 
necessity  of  going  cold  and  hungry  in  the  wet  and 
wintry  season ;  the  constant  torture  from  vermin, 
of  which  no  care  or  caution  can  free  one  ;  the  total 
isolation ;  the  supreme  dreariness,  the  dreadful 
monotony,  the  perpetual  turning  inward  of  the 
mind  upon  itself,  the  self-devouring  of  the  heart, 
week  after  week,  month  after  month,  and  year  after 
year." 


830  THE    CAPTURED    THE   PRISON  PEN. 


CHAPTER   XX. 


AT   ANDERSONVILLE  —  "  CAMP   SUMTER." 


w  IT  is  from  no  unfair  motives  that  I  am  induced  to 
make  the  following  statement  of  what  I  saw  and 
experienced  while  a  prisoner  in  the  hands  of  the 
Rebels  during  the  spring,  summer,  and  autumn  of 
1864.  I  have  tried  to  give  a  truthful  account  of 
some  of  the  cruelties  and  Bufferings  which  our  poor 
boys  were  called  to  endure  in  filthy,  loathsome 
Southern  prisons  and  hospitals.  It  seems  to  me 
there  can  be  no  reason  for  any  one  to  make  a  false 
report  of  the  miseries  we  received  at  the  hands  of 
our  heartless  captors  and  brutal  prison-keepers. 
To  tell  the  truth  of  them  is  all  that  is  needed  to 
convince  any  reasonable  man  of  their  barbarities 
and  fiendish  attempt  to  deprive  our  soldiers,  whom 
the  fortune  of  war  had  thrown  into  their  power,  of 
every  comfort  and  enjoyment  of  life. 

CAPTURE    OF   PLYMOUTH. 

"But  to  my  narrative.  I  was  captured  April  2d, 
*  £64,  at  Plymouth,  North  Carolina.  It  is  to  the 
credit  of  the  Rebel  soldiers  whose  good  fortune  it 
was  to  capture  our  command,  stationed  there  to 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  S31 

hold  and  defend  the  place,  that  we  were  treated 
with  considerable  courtesy  and  kindness  while  in 
their  power.  To  my  knowledge,  no  outrages  wera 
committed  upon  any  of  our  white  troops,  though  1 
believe  the  small  negro  force  with  us  fared  very 
hard.  Our  men  were  allowed  to  retain  their  blan 
kets  and  overcoats,  and  all  little  articles  of  value 
which  they  might  have  upon  their  persons.  Many 
of  the  men  had  about  them  large  sums  of  money, 
which  they  were  allowed  to  keep. 

MARCH   FROM   PLYMOUTH    TO   TARBORO*. 

"  From  Plymouth  a  long  and  wearisome  march  was 
made  to  Tarboro',  a  very  pretty  town,  situated  on 
the  Neuse,  a  few  miles  from  Goldsboro'.  By  the 
time  we  arrived  there  the  men  were  much  fagged 
and  worn  out.  The  last  day  of  the  march  we  were 
without  rations,  and  suffered  a  great  deal  from  hun 
ger  and  weariness.  Soon  after  reaching  our  camp 
ing-ground,  near  the  town,  rations  were  issued  to  us. 
There  were  a  few  cow  peas,  or  be'ans,  more  prop 
erly,  some  corjj  meal,  a  small  piece  of  bacon,  and  a 
very  meagre  allowance  of  salt,  for  each  man.  Some 
old  iron  kettles,  tins,  etc.,  were  provided  for  us  to 
cook  our  food  in,  and  a  small  quantity  of  wood  fur 
nished  ;  and  we  managed  to  prepare  a  repast  which 
was  very  palatable  to  our  well- whetted  appetites. 
A  system  of  trading  was  immediately  commenced, 
which  was  carried  on  for  a  while  very  briskly,  but 
but  was  finally  prohibited  by  the  Rebel  authorities. 
Our  men  would  barter  away  their  watches,  rings, 
14 


332  THE    CAPTURE,    THE   PRISON  PEN, 

gold  pen-holders,  pocket-knives,  coat-buttons,  etc., 
for  Confederate  pone  cakes,  Hard  bread,  and  bacon, 
from  the  Rebels.  The  most  exorbitant  prices  were 
demanded  by  both  parties  ;  our  men,  however,  gen 
erally  getting  the  best  bargain.  We  had  remained 
at  Tarboro'  but  a  few  days  when  orders  were  re 
ceived  to  remove  all  the  Union  prisoners  who  could 
travel  to  Andersonville,  Ga.,  immediately.  We 
had  already  suffered  much,  both  from  hunger  and 
exposure.  Many  were  sick  and  feeble.  All  were 
anxious  to  leave,  and  we  felt  much  relief  at  hearing 
that  preparations  had  been  made  to  remove  us  to  a 
pleasanter  and  more  fruitful  portion  of  the  Con 
federacy. 

ANDERSONVILLE    IN   THE    DISTANCE. 

"  We  were  informed  that  Camp  Sumter,  the  prison 
to  which  we  were  going,  occupied  a  delightful  local 
ity,  and  also  that  our  food  there  would  be  more 
wholesome  and  plenteous  than  that  which  we  had 
yet  received.  Their  fair  accounts  and  pleasing 
stories  but  increased  our  anxiety  to  be  off;  and  it 
was  with  no  little  pleasure  that,  on  the  morning  of 
April  29th,  we  bade  adieu  to'  the  gloomy  field  into 
which  we  had  been  turned  as  so  many  brutes,  and 
marched  with  quite  joyous  hearts  to  the  depot  in 
town.  Here  we  were  confined,  crowded  by  forties 
into  small  and  loathsome  box-cars.  Besides  our 
own  enormous  numbers,  six  Eebel  guards  were 
stationed  in  each  carriage ;  a  name  which  I  heard 
applied  by  a  foppish  young  officer  to  the  miserable 


AND    THE   ESCAPE.  833 

concern  aboard  which  we  were  literally  packed. 
Of  course,  the  Kebels  occupied  the  doors,  and  we 
nearly  suffocated.  Under  such  circumstances,  many 
of  the  boys,  less  sanguine  and  hopeful  than  others, 
began  to  express  doubts  concerning  the  stories 
which  we  had  heard  ;  and  intimated  that  they  were 
all  mere  fabrications  to  deceive  us,  and  make  it 
an  easier  matter  to  convey  us  to  Camp  Sumter. 
Without  doubt,  such  was  the  case.  It  is  certain 
that  they  made  the  utmost  efforts  to  get  us  through 
to  the  stockade  at  Andersonville  under  as  small  a 
guard  as  possible. 

AEKIVAL  AT   CHARLESTON. 

*  We  arrived  in  Charleston  on  Sunday  morning, 
May  1st.  To  our  great  surprise,  we  found  that 
some  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  city  were  friendly  to 
us.  They  distributed  tobacco  and  cigars  among  the 
men,  and  some  secretly  brought  them  food.  Months 
afterwards,  some  of  our  suffering,  dying  boys  found 
inestimable  friends  in  the  Sisters  of  Charity,  who 
abode  in  the  city. 

"  Leaving  Charleston  at  an  early  hour  in  the  after 
noon,  we  were  hurried  on  at  quite  a  rapid  rate 
toward  Savannah,  Georgia.  About  six  o'clock  in 
the  evening  it  commenced  storming  very  hard, 
and,  being  on  platform  cars,  we  were  thoroughly 
drenched  with  rain. 

"At  about  nine  o'clock  we  changed  cars  a  short 
distance  from  Savannah  for  Macou,  at  which  place 
we  arrived  the  following  day  a  little  past  noon. 


834  THE    CAPTURE,    THE   PRISON  PEN, 

tf  I  was  much  pleased  with  Macon.  It  is  a  hand 
some  city,  and  pleasantly  situated  on  the  Ocmulgee 
River — a  stream  of  some  importance.  It  contained 
a  number  of  fine  residences,  several  churches,  two 
or  three  large  iron  foundries,  and'  a  car-factory,  I 
believe.  Trees,  flowers,  and  gardens,  presented  au 
appearance  not  unlike  that  of  early  summer  at  home. 
Almost  everything  there  was  looking  pleasant  and 
beautiful,  and  I  felt  very  sad  at  leaving,  knowing, 
as  I  then  did,  something  of  the  true  character  .of 
our  future  abode. 

ARRIVAL  AT  ANDERSONVILLE . 

"  Late  in  the  afternoon  of  May  2d  we  left  Macon 
on  our  way  to  Andersonville,  at  which  place  we 
arrived  some  time  in  the  evening.  Soon  after  our 
arrival  there,  we  were  marched  into  an  open  field 
near  by,  where  we  remained 'during  the  night.  It 
being  very  cold,  large  fires  had  been  made  by  the 
Rebel  soldiers  for  our  comfort.  For  this  little  act 
of  kindness  we  indeed  felt  very  grateful  to  them. 
The  next  morning,  May  3d,  a  sinister-looking  little 
foreigner  came  down  to  us,  and,  with  considerable 
bluster  and  many  oaths,  began  to  form  us  into  de 
tachments,  containing  two  hundred  and  seventy  men 
each.  These  detachments  were  subdivided  into 
messes  of  ninety  each,  and  placed  under  the  control 
of  a  sergeant,  whose  duty  it  was  to  attend  roll-call, 
drawing  rations,  etc.  At  length,  everything  being 
ready,  we  were  escorted  into  the  prison  under  a 
strong  guard. 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  335 

wlt  is  impossible  to  describe  our  feelings  at  this 
time.  Everywhere  around  us  were  men  in  the  most 
abject  wretchedness  and  misery.  Immediately  on 
our  arrival  among  them  they  began  to  gather  around 
us,  and,  in  a  very  touching  manner,  related  the  sad 
story  of  their  sufferings  and  wrongs.  We  could 
only  sympathize  with  them.  Beyond  that,  we  could 
do  nothing.  We  knew  full  well  that  the  same  cruel-, 
ties  which  they  had  experienced  were  in  store  for 
us.  The  prospect  before  us  was  dark  indeed.  In 
the  afternoon  of  the  day  on  which  I  entered  the 
prison,  I  ventured  out  some  distance  into  the  camp. 
Everywhere  was  the  most  unmistakable  evidence  of 
intense  suffering  and  destitution.  Hundreds  of  the 
men  were  without  shelter,  and  but  very  few  had 
any  comfortable  clothing. 

"  The  supply  of  wood  was  very  small  —  scarcely 
enough  to  cook  with ;  and  the  poor  fellows  were 
obliged  to  lie,  night  after  night,  week  after  week, 
on  the  cold,  damp  ground,  without  even  a  fire  to 
warm  themselves  by. 

"  The  Kebels  may  claim  that  there  was  some  cause 
for  not  issuing  a  sufficient  quantity. of  food  to  our 
prisoners  at  Andersonville  ;  but  for  not  granting  us 
wood  enough  to  keep  us  warm,  and  to  cook  with, 
there  can  be  no  apology.  On  three  sides  of  the 
prison  there  was  an  immense  woodland,  from  which 
all  the  wood  that  we  needed  could  have  been  pro-, 
vided  with  very  little  difficulty.  The  same  holds 
true  in  regard  to  shelter.  I  am  persuaded  that  it 
was  an  act  of  premeditated  inhumanity  on  the  part 


836  THE   CAPTURE)    THE  PRISON 

of  our  enemies  not  to  give  us  shelter.  It  would 
have  required  but  a  few  weeks'  time,  and  a  few 
scores  of  hands,  to  have  built  barracks  for  our 
comfortless  boys  there,  which  would  have  been  the 
means  of  saving  hundreds  of  precious  lives.  If  the 
Rebels  would  have  granted  us  even  the  rough,  un 
hewn  logs,  and  axes  to  work  with,  we  would  have 
built  them  ourselves. 

w  The  camp  at  this  time  was  in  a  most  loathsome 
condition.  It  then  covered  an  area  of  about  fifteen 
acres,  and  was  inclosed  by  a  high  stockade,  built  of 
pine  logs,  hewn  and  closely  joined  together. 

"  Upward  of  twenty  feet  from  the  stockade  was 

THE   FATAL  DEAD  LINE, 

Beyond  which  any  poor  fellow  passing  was  almost 
certain  to  be  fired  upon  by  some  of  the  ever  watch 
ful  sentries.  In  the  centre  of  the  camp,  and  ex 
tending  entirely  around  it,  was  a  broad  ravine, 
which,  toward  the  beginning  of  summer,  became 
one  of  the  filthiest  places  imaginable,  and  was  one 
of  the  chief  causes  of  the  vast  amount  of  sickness 
which  existed  during  the  months  of  July  and  Au 
gust  following.  About  this  time,  May  10th,  the 
average  rate  of  mortality  daily,  was  upward  of 
fifteen.  It  afterward  rose  as  high  as  seventy-five 
and  one  hundred. 

w  Sunday,  May  15th,  a  wretched  cripple,  who  had 
the  reputation  about  camp  of  being  a  very  dangerous 
fellow,  willing,  for  a  double  ration,  to  inform  the 
Rebels  of  all  plans  made  for  escape  which  he 


4ND   THE  ESCAPE.  339 

might  discover  or  accidentally  hear  of,  was  mortally 
wounded  by  a  Rebel  sentinel  while  on  duty.  For 
some  unknown  reason,  the  miserable  man  purposely 
passed  beyond  the  dead  line.  The  guard  ordered 
him  to  go  back ;  he  refused  to  do  so,  and  used  some 
insulting  language  in  reply.  The  sentry  then  fired 
upon  him.  He  fell,  horribly  wounded,  and  lived 
only  about  two  hours. 

"  Sunday,  May  22d,  a  little  incident  of  some  note 
occurred  in  camp,  to  the  great  satisfaction  of  the 
well-disposed.  It  must  be  confessed  that  great  de 
moralization  prevailed  among  the  prisoners.  Quar 
rels  and  fights  were  of  frequent  occurrence. 

A  BAND   OF  DESPERADOES. 

w  But  the  worst  of  all  were  the  murderous  deeds 
perpetrated  by  a  desperate  set  of  fellows,  who  had 
banded  themselves  together  for  the  purpose  of  rob 
bing  the  defenseless  among  them.  From  the  sick 
and  powerless  they  would  steal  blankets  and  pails 
for  cooking  in ;  and  if  a  man  was  known  to  possess 
money,  he  was  in  danger  of  being  deprived  of  it  all, 
and  possibly  of  his  life  besides.  This  morning  one 
of  the  heartless  scoundrels  had  been  caught  in  the 
act  of  stealing  from  some  one  of  his  companions, 
and  met  with  summary  punishment.  A  part  of  his 
hnad  and  beard  were  shaven,  and  he  was  then  ex 
posed  to  the  view  of  any  who  might  wish  to  see  him. 
After  this  he  was  turned  over  to  the  commandant 
of  the  prison,  who  immediately  released  him,  but 
promised  the  men  that  in  the  future  they  might  in- 


340  THE   CAPTURE)    THE  PRISON  PEN, 

flict  what  punishment  they  should  deem  proper  on 
all  whom  they  should  catch  engaged  in  robbing  their 
comrades.  The  prime  cause  of  all  this  demoraliza 
tion  among  the  men  was  the  treatment  they  received 
at  the  hands  of  the  Rebels.  Had  the  Confederate 
authorities  provided  food  in  sufficient  quantities  for 
our  men,  and  furnished  other  necessary  comforts,  it 
is  altogether  possible  that  no  such  deeds  would  have 
been  committed  in  the  camp  ;  certainly,  they  would 
have  been  very  rare. 

RATIONS. 

"  Toward  the  close  of  May  our  rations  were '  cut 
down  '  fearfully.  Starvation  really  began  to  stare 
us  in  the  face.  There  were  but  few  who  were  not 
suffering  the  pangs  of  hunger  continually.  Our 
daily  allowance  was  only  about  half  of  .a  small  loaf 
of  corn  bread,  about  four  ounces  of  bacon,  and  a 
little  '  mush '  made  of  Indian  meal  partially  cooked 
in  water. 

A  portion  of  the  camp  drew  raw  rations,  and 
fared  somewhat  better  than  -those  whose  food  was 
prepared  before  issued  to  them.  Our  food,  when 
cooked  outside,  was  always  prepared  in  the  most 
careless  and  indifferent  manner.  It  not  unfrequent- 
ly  occurred  that  even  the  meagre  supply  of  bread 
which  we  did  receive  was  sent  into  us  half  cooked, 
and,  when  in  this  condition,  it  would  become  during 
the  night  totally  unfit  to  eat. 

"  About  the  close  of  summer,  cooked  beans  were 
issued  to  us.  These  were  always  in  a  most  disgust- 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  341 

ing  state,  and  could  have  been  eaten  only  by  starr 
ing  men.  There  was  always  a  copious  supply  of 
gravel,  pods,  and,  what  was  still  worse,  bugs,  in 
each  man's  allowance  of  this  miserable  farce. 

"June  3d,  a  large  number  of  wounded  men  were 
received  at  the  camp,  many  of  them  in  very  desti 
tute  circumstances. 

"But  few,  if  any  of  them,  were  admitted  to  the 
hospital,  though  a  large  number  had  severe  and 
painful  wounds.  Their  sufferings  became  intense, 
almost  unendurable.  Without  shelter  during  the 
day,  they  suffered  indescribably  from  scorching, 
burning  heat,  and  at  night  perhaps  not  less  so  from 
the  cold.  Many  died.  It  could  not  be  otherwise. 
Who  but  the  merciless  .enemies  of  our  country  can 
be  held  accountable  for  this  fiendish  sacrifice  of  val 
uable  lives  ? 

AN   UNJUST   ORDER. 

"The  morning  of  June  9th,  a  very  unjust  order 
was  promulgated  throughout  camp.  We  had  been 
permitted  to  send,  nearly  every  day,  a  small  squad 
of  men  from  some  of  the  detachments,  under  Rebel 
guards,  into  the  woods  near  by,  to  procure  some 
fuel  for  the  camp,  but  it  was  now  decided  that  no 
more  should  be  allowed  to  go  forward  until  they 
would  solemnly  pledge  themselves  not  to  attempt  to 
escape  while  outside  the  stockade  for  that  purpose  ; 
and  if,  after  having  given  their  pledge,  they  should 
violate  it,  the  detachment  to  which  they  belonged 
ebould  rccc've  rations  only  every  alternate  day  until 
14* 


342  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON  PEN, 

the  time  that  those  who  had  escaped  should  be  re 
captured.  To  go  without  wood  was  impossible ;  to 
submit  was  the  only  way  by  which  we  could  obtain 
it,  and  consequently  we  were  under  the  necessity 
of  yielding  to  the  base  demand. 

"Sunday  morning,  June  19th,  one  of  our  men, 
unfortunately  getting  beyond  the  dead  line,  was 
fired  upon  by  the  guard.  He  was  missed,  but  the 
ball  wounded  two  others,  one  severely. 

"  On  the  21st,  another  man  was  shot  while  merely 
reaching  beyond  the  dead-line  for  a  small  piece  of 
wood  which  he  needed. 

BARBAROUS  TREATMENT  OF  THE  SICK. 

"Toward  the  close  of  «^une,  sickness  and  death 
began  to  prevail  in  camp  to  an  alarming  extent. 
The  men  died  by  scores  daily.  But  few  were  ad 
mitted  to  the  hospital,  arid  even  when  received 
there,  it  was  not  until  life  was  nearly  extinct.  The 
old  prisoners- who  had  been  incarcerated  for  months 
at  Belle  Island,  were  falling  away  with  fearful  ra 
pidity.  Nearly  all  those  still  living,  could  see 
nothing  before  them  but  a  slow,  torturing  death, 
from  a  most  painful  disease,  which  had  been  caused 
by  a  want  of  .proper  food,  and  constant  exposure. 
None  can  fully  realize  the  intense  agony,  the  horrid 
suspense  and  wretchedness,  felt  by  these  unfortu 
nate  men,  but  those  who  have  had  a  like  experi 
ence.  .  Indeed,  their  sufferings  were  beyond 
description.  Only  a  few  could  receive  medical 
treatment,  and  that  scarcely  worth  mentioning, 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  343 

while  in  every  part  of  camp  were  as  brave  and  loyal 
soldiers  as  any  that  had  ever  taken  up  arms  in  de 
fence  of  freedom,  suffering  and  dying  in  a  manner 
that  might  have  shocked  even  the  rude  sensibilities 
of  an  American  savage.  It  seemed  that  the  more 
bitter  our  anguish  became,  the  more  delighted  were 
our  fiendish  keepers.  Not  satisfied  with  the  cruel 
ties  inflicted  upon  us,  they  even  carried  their  ani 
mosities  beyond  this  life,  and  declined  to  give  a 
Christian  burial  to  our  dead.  I  will  not  now  longer 
dwell  upon  this  subject.  It  is  too  painful  to  con 
template. 

"July  13th,  one  of  the  men  in  attempting  to  pro 
cure  some  clean  water  to  drink,  passed  a  little  be 
yond  the  dead-line,  and  was  fired  upon  by  two  of 
the  guards  almost  simultaneously.  Both  balls 
missed  him,  but  took  effect  upon  two  other  men, 
killing  one  of  them  immediately. 

"  About  the  middle  of  July  I  was  fortunate  enough 
to  make  the  acquaintance  of  a  most  excellent  young 
man  from  Philadelphia,  a  member  of  the  Seventh 
Pennsylvania  Reserve  Corps  Volunteers. 

JOSEPH    EGALF 

by  name,  wrho  was  actively  engaged  in  caring  for 
our  neglected  wounded  men.  From  morning  to 
night,  he  went  about  dressing  their  wounds,  and 
ministering  to  their  wants,  and  was  unremitting  in 
Lis  efforts  to  benefit  and  comfort  them.  All  in  suf 
fering  had  his  sympathy  and  compassion,  and  his 
aid,  so  far  as  it  was  in  his  power  to  render  assist- 


344  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON  PEN, 

ance.  What  finally  became  of  him  I  do  not  know, 
but,  should  he  be  living,  it  is  hoped  something  may 
be  done  to  reward  him  handsomely  for  his  many  acts 
of  love  and  kindness  toward  our  poor  boys  who  were 
with  him  at  Andersonville. 

"  I  find  the  following  written  in  my  diary  under 
date  of  July  25th :  '  While  walking  in  camp  this 
morning,  I  observed  several  poor  fellows  lying  upon 
the  ground,  without  shelter,  blanket,  coat,  or  even 
blouse  —  merely  shirt  and  pants  to  protect  them  from 
the  bitter  cold  of  the  past  night.'  There  are  a  great 
many  in  camp  in  the  same  condition,  and  hundreds 
who  are  without  shelter,  blanket,  and  overcoat. 

"  To  some  it  may  seem  incredible  that  it  should  be 
very  cold  during  the  night  at  this  season  of  the  year, 
but  such  was  indeed  the  case. 

"It  may  be  asked,  What  became  of  the  prisoners' 
clothing?  I  answer  that,  except  in  a  few  instances, 
it  was  stolen  by  the.  Rebels.  Many  a  poor  fellow 
can  remember  how  unceremoniously  he  was  stripped 
of  almost  every  thing  of  value  in  his  possession  in  an 
hour  after  his  capture.  Resistance  was  useless.  To 
resist  was  to  expose  one's  self  to  certain  death.  If 
a  bare  command  would  not  bring  a  man  out  of  his 
new  boots,  or  induce  him  to  give  up  his  coat,  a 
loaded  pistol  pointed  at  his  head  would. 

"  July  27th,  another  of  our  men  was  shot.  lie  re 
ceived  a  horrible  wound  in  the  head,  and  was  car- 
ired  out  of  camp  in  a  dying  condition. 

"August  4th,  still  another  was  shot,  receiving  a 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  345 

severe  wound  through  the  body.  August  6th, 
another  cold-blooded  murder  was  committed. 

"Ono  of  the  men,  passing  a  little  too  near  the 
stockade,  was  shot  dead  by  a  guard  on  duty.  It 
had  become  dangerous  to  pass  at  the  regular  cross 
ing.  The  sentinels  seemed  to  be  mo;  3  vigilant  than 
ever  before  in  watching  for  opportunities  to  shoot 
down  our  poor  unarmed  men.  No  one  was  safe. 
No  warning  was  given  to  a  thoughtless  intruder. 
The  first  thing  one  would  know  of  his  terrible  con 
dition  after  passing  the  fatal  line,  was  a  quick,  sharp 
report,  a  groan,  and  all  was  over  —  another  murder 
was  committed.  About  the  middle  of  August,  the 
rate  of  mortality  was  about  eight  per  day.  Diar 
rhoea  and  scurvy  were  the  chief  scourges  of  the  camp. 
The  fearful  work  of  death  was  visible  every  where 
around  us.  I  have  frequently  seen  as  many  as  thirty 
dead  men  lying  in  a  row  at  the  prison  gate  to  be  car 
ried  out  for  burial.  It  was  sad,  indescribably  so, 
to  see  these  brave  men  dying  so  far  from  home  and 
its  hallowed  associations.  No  fond  parents  near  to 
speak  words  of  comfort  and  tenderness.  None  able 
to  minister  to  their  temporal  necessities  —  none  who 
could  alleviate  their  sufferings.  Alone  they  must 
writhe  in  the  agonies  of  death,  alone  to  die. 

"  It  was  under  such  circumstances  of  darkness  and 
misery,  that  the  shining  truths  of  Christianity  shone 
out  before  men  in  their  unsurpassed  glory  and 
heavenly  beauty.  Many  a  freed,  joyous  spirit, 
went  from  that  foul,  loathsoi  ic  prison,  to  imniorta] 
life  and  happiness. 


346  THE   CAPTURE,    THE  PRISON 

"  Thus  far,  only  some  of  the  physical  sufferings 
consequent  to  our  imprisonment  have  been  briefly 
mentioned ;  it  is  now  time  to  refer,  for  a  few  mo 
ments,  to  the 

INTENSE    MENTAL   TKIALS 

and  afflictions  which  we  prisoners  experienced. 

"In  my  diary,  under  date  of  August  24th,  I  find 
the  following  : — 'I  believe  the  loss  of  health,  ex 
posure  to  privations,  and  physical  sufferings  conse 
quent  upon  the  manner  of  life  in  which  we  are  now 
compelled  to  live,  are  not  the  saddest  effects  of  our 
present  captivity.  But  that  which  is  the  most  la 
mentable  is  the  mental  debility,  which,  under  the 
present  state  of  things,  wre  must  necessarily  experi 
ence/  Again,  'The  finer  feelings  —  that  which 
makes  more  lovely  —  as  social  being,  love,  affec 
tion,  friendship,  kindness,  and  courtesy,  are  being 
constantly  deadened  —  rooted  out  from  the  heart, 
leaving  it  in  a  most  woeful  condition.'  Scarcely  an 
hour  in  which  anxiety  about  distant  friends,  sus 
pense  in  regard  to  the  future,  and  frequent  despair, 
were  not  felt.  It  seems  to  me  that  the  mind  must 
have  been  in  a  state  of  trouble  and  anxiety  nearly 
all  of  the  time  its  frail  tenement  was  suffering  from 
confinement  and  disease.  It  was  almost  impossible 
to  procure  reading  matter.  Some  of  the  soldiers 
bad  Bibles  and  Testaments,  which  were  eagerly 
Bought  after,  and  read  by  many  of  jthe  men. 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  £47 

"It  was  with  great  difficulty  one  could  think  very 
attentively  about  other  subjects  than  home  and  re 
lease  from  imprisonment.  A  topic  for  conversation 
might  be  introduced  among  a  squad  of  men ;  per 
haps  they  might  talk  about  it  for  a  few  moments, 
but  it  would  soon  be  dropped,  and  home,  friends, 
and  possibility  sor  probability  of  exchange  would 
come  up  for  discussion.  ^Men —  brave  men,  indeed 
. —  became  gloomy  and  despondent.  Light  faded 
from  the  once  brilliant,  fiery  eye ;  the  color  disap 
peared  from  the  manly  countenance ;  manhood 
seemed  to  forget  itself ;  the  entire  man  was  speed 
ily  drifting  toward  a  fearful  ruin.  Hope  had  nearly 
vanished.  The  mind  was  laboring  under  intense* 
agony.  To  some  the  burden  was  too  much,  and 
they  have  never  recovered  from  its  baneful  effects. 
Others  have  nearly  recovered,  but  the  scars  remahuj 

REMOVAL   OF  PRISONERS   FROM  ANDERSONVILLE. 

"  September  7th,  the  removal  of  the  prisoners  from 
Camp  Sumter  to  other  parts  of  the  Confederacy  was 
commenced.  We  were  induced  by  the  Rebel  au 
thorities  to  believe  that  this  unexpected  movement 
was  for  a  general  exchange.  With  this  belief  our 
men  could  be  sent  away  with  only  a  small  force 
guarding  them,  which  was  a  consideration  of  no 
little  importance  with  the  Rebels  just  at  that  time. 

"  Suddenly  stricken  down  with  a  violent  attack  of 
the  scurvy,  I  was  unable  to  leave  with  my  detach 
ment,  and  was  left  with  the  sick  in  camp.  After 
suffering  several  days,  I  managed  to  get  out  with 


THE    CAPTURE,   THE   PRISON  PEN", 

the  first  squad  of  sick  which  left  for  Florence,  South 
Carolina.  I  was  quite  weak  and  feeble  when  I  ar 
rived  at  Florence,  but  a  change  of  climate  and  diet 
rapidly  improved  my  condition,  and  in  a  few  days  I 
was  able  to  walk  about  without  crutches.  Soon 
afterward  I  was  detailed  as  hospital  steward,  and 
paroled.  From  that  time  till  my  release,  Nov.  30th, 
my  treatment  was  much  better  then  it  had  been  while 
I  was  at  Camp  Sumter.  But  in  regard  to  that 
received  by  the  thousands  of  poor  fellows  in  the 
prison,  there  was  but  little  apparent  change.  They 
suffered  from  cold  and  hunger  perhaps  more  than 
while  at  Andersonville. 

.  "  I  will  here  close  my  accounts  of  the  sufferings  of 
our  friends.  So  far  as  I  am  concerned  personally, 
I  can  forgive  our  bitter  foes  the  cruelties  which  they 
have  inflicted  upon  me.  I  do  not  desire  revenge. 
That  is  farthest  from  my  heart.  God  will  punish 
them  for  their  evil  deeds.  They  have  already  suf 
fered  terribly.  I  feel  that  all  should  now  try  to  do 
whatever  they  can  to  narrow  the  breach  which  exists 
between  them  and  ourselves.  I  have  always  been 
glad  our  government  so  nobly  declined  to  resort  to 
retaliation.  We  cannot  afford  to  be  cruel.  It  is, 
our  highest  honor  to  award  good  for  evil.* 

"  The  magnanimity  of  our  people  is  beyond  ques 
tion,  and  our  enemies  must  acknowledge  it.  Our 
arms  have  conquered  their  proud  hosts ;  our  kind 
ness  must  now  subdue  the  enmity  of  their  hearts. 
\Ve  must  be  neither  too  lenient  nor  too  severe.  To 
the  leaders  who  precipitated  us  into  four  years  of 


AND   THE  ESCAPE.  349 

bloodshed  and  war,  the  severest  punishment  which 
the  law  can  give ;  but  to  the  poor  misguided 
masses,  that  clemency  which  only  a  noble  people 
are  capable  of  exercising. 


350  THE   CAPTURE,  THE  PRISON 

[The  following  poetical  description  of  prison  life  in  the 
South  is  from  the  genial  pen  of  an  Andersonville  prisoner, 
whose  name  I  have  not  been  able  to  learn :] 

UNION  PRISONERS,  FROM  DIXIE'S  SUNNY  LAND. 
Air  —  «<  TWENTY  YEARS  AGO." 

I. 

Dear  friends  and  fellow-soldiers  brave,  come  listen  to  our 
song, 

About  the  Rebel  prisons,  and  our  sojourn  there  so  long; 

Yet  our  wretched  state  and  hardships  great  no  one  can  under 
stand, 

But  those  who  have  endured  this  fate  in  Dixie's  sunny  land. 

n. 

When  captured  by  the  chivalry,  they  strip't  us  to  the  skin, 
But  failed  to  give  us  back  again  the  value  of  a  pin  — 
Except  some  lousy  rags  of  gray,  discarded  by  their  band  — 
And  thus  commenced  our  prison  life  in  Dixie's  sunny  land. 

m. 

With  a  host  of  guards  surrounding  us,  each  with  a  loaded 

gun, 

We  were  stationed  in  an  open  plain,  exposed  to  rain  and  sun ; 
No  tent  or  tree  to  shelter  us,  we  lay  upon  the  sand  — 
Thus,  side  by  side,  great  numbers  died  in  Dixie's  sunny  land. 

IV. 

This  was  the  daily  "  bill  of  fare  "  in  that  Secesh  saloon  — 
No  sugar,  tea  or  coffee  there,  at  morning,  night  or  noon  ; 
But  a  pint  of  meal,  ground  cob  and  all,  was  served  to  every 

man, 
And  for  want  of  fire  we  ate  it  raw  in  Dixie's  sunny  land. 


AND    THE  ESCAPE.  351 

V. 

We  were  by  these  poor  rations  soon  reduced  to  skin  and  bone, 
A  lingering  starvation  —  worse  than  death !  you  can  but  own, 
There  hundreds  lay,  both  night  and  day,  by  far  too  weak  to 

stand, 
Till  death  relieved  their  sufferings  in  Dixie's  sunny  land. 

VI. 

We  poor  survivors  oft  were  tried  by  many  a  threat  and  bribe, 
To  desert  our  glorious  Union  cause,  and  join  the  Rebel  tribe, 
Though  fain  were  we  to  leave  the  place,  we.  let  them  under 
stand, 

We  had  rather  die  than  thus  disgrace  our  flag!  in  Dixie's 
land. 

vn. 

Thus  dreary  days  and  nights  roll'd  by — yes,  weeks  and 

months  untold, 

Until  that  happy  time  arrived  when  we  were  all  paroled. 
We  landed  at  Annapolis,  a  wretched  looking  band, 
But  glad  to  be  alive  and  free  from  Dixie's  sunny  land. 

vni. 

How  like  a  dream  those  days  now  seem  in  retrospective  view, 
As  we  regain  our  wasted  strength,  all  dressed  in  "  Union 

Blue." 

The  debt  we  owe  our  bitter  foe  shall  not  have  long  to  stand ; 
We  shall  pay  it  with  a  vengeance  soon  in  Dixie's  sunny  land- 


352         THE    CAPTURED  PRISON  PEN,   AND    ESCAPE. 


RATIONS    ISSUED    BY  THE  UNITED    STATES    GOVERNMENT    TO 

REBEL  PRISONERS  OF  WAR.     (Note  the  difference.) 

Hard  bread,  .    .    .  14  oz.  per  one  ration,  or  18  oz.   soft 

bread,  one  ration. 
Corn  meal,    .     .     .  18  oz.  per  one  ration. 

Beef, 14    "     "     "       " 

Bacon  or  pork,  .  .  10  "  "  "   " 

Beans, 6  qts.  per  100  men. 

Hominy  or  rice,      .    8  Ibs.    "      "     " 

Sugar,  .'..,.  44    «      "      «     «       ^  ^ 

R.  Coffee,      .    .    .    5    "  ground,  or  7  Ibs.  raw,  per  100 

men. 

Tea, 18  oz.  per  100  men. 

Soap, 4    "     "      "      " 

Adamantine  candles,  5  candles  per  100  men. 
Tallow  candles,      .6      "          "     "      " 

Salt, 2  qts.  "     "      "  • 

Molasses,       .     .     .     1  qt.  "     "      " 

Potatoes 30  Ibs.          "    "      " 


STATEMENT  OP    CLOTHING    ISSUED    TO    PRISONERS   OF  WA» 
AT  FORT  DELAWARE, 

From  Sept.  1st,  1863,  to  May  1st,  1864. 

7,175  pairs  Drawers  (Canton  flannel). 
6,260  Shirts  (flannel). 
8,807  pairs  woollen  Stockings. 
1,094  Jackets  ana  Coats. 
3,480  pairs  Bootees. 
1,310  pairs  Trousers. 
4,378  woollen  Blankets. 
2,680  Great  Coats. 
Average  number  of  prisoners.  4.489. 


<£> 


APPENDIX. 


The  following  Appendix  is  not  as  perfect  as  I 
could  wish,  it  being  very  difficult  to  avoid  errors  in 
lists  of  this  kind.  The  principal  portion  of  the 
names  were  taken  from  the  Rebel  adjutant's  book  at 
Libby  Prison,  during  the  winter  and  spring  of  1864, 
by  Captain  Fisher,  to  whom  I  have  alluded  in  my 
preface.  I  compiled  the  remainder  while  impris 
oned  at  Columbia.  The  post-office  address  of  the 
officers  has  been  given,  as  far  as  they  could  be 
obtained. 

Those  marked  thus  (*)  died  during  their  impris 
onment. 

353 


OFFICERS 

OF  THE 

UNITED  STATES  ARMY  AND  -NAVY, 

0f 


[This  list  comprises  those  officers  who  were  Imprisoned  at  Libby  Prison 
during  the  winter  and  spring  of  1864.  They  were  removed  from  Richmond 
to  Danville  in  the  early  part  of  May,  and  from  thence  to  Macon,  Savannah, 
Charleston,  Columbia,  Charlotte,  Raleigh,  and  Goldsboro'.*  The  suc 
ceeding  list  furnishes  the  additional  captures  of  the  summer  and  fall 
campaigns :] 


Names. 
Neal  Dow, 
E.  P.  Scammon, 
H.  W.  Wessells, 


F.  A.  Bartleson, 
C.  H.  Carlton, 
P.  De  Cesnola, 
Wm.  G.  Ely, 
W.  P.  Kindrick, 
O.  A.  Lawson, 
H.  Le  Favour, 
K.  W.  McClain, 
W.  H.  Powell, 
Thos.  E.  Rose, 
A.  D.  Streight, 


BRIGADIER  GENERALS. 

Regiment,  or  Command. 
1st  Brig.  2d  Div.  19  A.  C., 
3d  Dept.  W.  Va. 
Plymouth,  N.  C., 

COLONELS. 

100th  111.  Vols. 
89th  O.  Vols., 
4th  N.  Y.  Cav., 
18th  Conn.  Vols., 
3d  W.  T.  Cav. 
3d  O.  Vols. 
22d  Mich.  Vols., 
61st  O.  Vols. 
2d  Va.  Cav. 
77th  Pa.  Vols. 
51st  Ind.  Vols., 


Residence. 
Portland,  Me. 

Washington,  D.  C. 


Oswego,  N.  Y. 
New  York  City. 
New  Haven,  Conn. 


Detroit,  Mich. 


Indianapolis,  Ind. 


*  A  small  portion  of  the  Libby  prisoners  were  sent  North  for  special  exchange  daring  th« 
month  of  March,  and  a  few  succeeded  in  escaping  before  we  reached  Georgia. 

355 


356 


APPENDIX. 


Names. 

Regiment,  or  Command. 

Residence. 

Chas.  W.  Tilden, 

16th  Me.  Vols. 

A.  H.  Tippin, 

68th  Pa.  Vols., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

W.  T.  Wilson, 

123d  O.  Vols. 

LIEUTENANT  COLONELS 

. 

S.  M.  Archer, 

17th  la.  Vols., 

Indianapolis,  Ind. 

I.  F.  Boyd, 

20th  A.  C. 

T.  F.  Cavada, 

114th  Pa.  Vols. 

C.  Farnsworth, 

1st  Conn.  Cav., 

Hartford,  Conn. 

W.  A.  Glenn, 

89th  O.  Vols. 

H.  B.  Hunter, 

123d  O.  Vols. 

A.  P.  Henry, 

ttth  Ky.  Cav. 

E.  L.  Hays, 

100th  0.  Vols., 

Columhus,  O. 

II.  C.  Robert, 

21st  Wis.  Vols. 

Wm.  Irvine, 

10th  N.  Y.  Cav., 

Albany,  N.  Y. 

O.  C.  Johnson, 

15th  Wis.  Vols. 

G.  C.  Joslin, 

15th  Mass.  Vols., 

Boston,  Masa. 

W.  P.  Lasselle, 

9th  Md.  Vols. 

A.  C.  Lichfield, 

7th  Mich.  Cav., 

Grand  Rapids,  Midi 

W.  O.  McMackin, 

21st  111.  Vols. 

- 

D.  A.  McHolland, 

51st  Ind.  Vols. 

C.  II.  Martin, 

84th  111.  Vols. 

J.  D.  Mayhew, 

8th  Ky.  Vols. 

D.  Miles, 

79th  Pa.  Vols. 

W.  B.  McCreary, 

21st  Mich.  Vols., 

Flint,  Mich. 

11.  S.  Northcott, 

12th  Va.  Vols. 

M.  Nichols, 

18th  Conn.  Vols., 

Hartford,  Conn. 

Wm.  Price, 

139th  Va.  M. 

P.  S.  Piper, 

77th  Pa.  Vols. 

I.  J.  Polsley, 

8th  Va.  Vols. 

A.  F.  Rogers, 

80th  111.  Vols. 

J.  T.  Spofford, 

79th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Little  Falls,  N.  T, 

J.  M.  Sanderson, 

Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

G.  Von  Helmrich, 

4th  Mo.  Cav., 

St.  Louis,  Mo, 

A.  Von  Schrader, 

A.  I.  Gen. 

I.  H.  Wing, 

3d  O.  Vols. 

J.  N.  Walker, 

73d  Ind.  Vols. 

J.  Williams, 

25th  O.  Vols. 

T.  S.  West, 

24th  Wis.  Vols., 

Racine,  Wis. 

MAJORS. 

A.  Bogle, 

35th  U.  S.  C.  T., 

Boston,  Mass. 

E.  N.  Bates, 

80th  111.  Vols. 

W.  T.  Beatley, 

2d  0.  Vols. 

C.  H.  Beers, 

16th  111.  Cav. 

J.  P.  Collins, 

29th  Ind.  Vols. 

M.  E.  Clarke, 

5th  Mich,  Car., 

Ann  Arbor,  Mich. 

APPENDIX. 


357 


Names. 

Regiment,  or  Command. 

Hesidence. 

D.  A.  Carpenter, 

2d  Tenn.  Cav. 

E.  F.  Cooke, 

2d  N.  Y.  Cav., 

Deckartown,  N.  J. 

J.  J.  Edwards, 

32d  Mass.  Vols. 

G.  W.  Fitzsimmons, 

30th  Ind.  Vols. 

N.  Goff,  Jr., 

4th  W.  Va.  Cav. 

J.  II.  Hooper, 

15th  Mass.  Vols., 

Boston,  Mass. 

J.  Hall, 

1st  Va.  Cav. 

J.  Henry, 

6th  O.  Cav. 

J.  B.  Hill, 

17th  Mass.  Vols., 

Chelsea,  Mass. 

1.  11.  Johnson, 

llth  Tenn.  Vols. 

S.  Kovax, 

64th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

D.  M.  Kercher, 

10th  Wis.  Vols. 

W.  P.  Morton, 

14th  N.  Y.  Cav., 

Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

S.  Mclrvin, 

2d  N.  Y.  Cav., 

Lafayette,  Ind. 

B.  B.  McDonald, 

101st  O.  Vols. 

A.  McMahan, 

21st  O.  Vols. 

M.  Moore, 

29th  Ind.  Vols. 

W.  S.  Marshall, 

5th  Iowa  Vols. 

S.  Marsh, 

6th  Md.  Vols. 

J.  B.  Muhlman, 

A.  A.  Gen., 

Woodburn,  m. 

W.  P.  Nieper, 

57th  Pa.  Vols. 

W.  N.  Owens, 

1st  Ky.  Cav., 

Somerset,  Ky. 

E.  M.  Tope, 

8th  N.  Y.  Cav., 

Rochester,  N.  Y. 

L.  N.  Thelps, 

6th  Va.  Vols. 

A.  Phillips, 

77th  Pa.  Vols. 

II.  L.  Pasco, 

16th  Conn.  Vola., 

Hartford,  Conn. 

T.  B.  Rodgers, 

140th  Pa.  Vols. 

W.  I.  Russell, 

A.  A.  Gen., 

Albany,  N.  Y. 

I.  C.  Vananda, 

3d  O.  Vols. 

A.  Von  Witzel, 

74th  Pa.  Vola. 

II.  A.  White, 

13th  Pa.  Cav.  ' 

J.  B.  Wade, 

73d  Ind.  Vols. 

Harry  White, 

67th  Pa.  Vols., 

Indiana,  Pa. 

W.  F.  Armstrong, 
S.  C.  Arthurs, 
W.  Airey, 
E.  C.  Alexander, 
W.  B.  Avery, 
J.  A.  Arthur, 
U.H.  Albiia, 
W.  R.  Adams, 
C.  A.  Adams, 
J.Albright, 
E.  W.  Atwood, 
C.  S.  Aldrieh, 
S.  Allen, 


CAPTAINS. 

74th  O.  Vols. 
67th  Pa.  Vols., 
15th  Pa.  Cav., 
1st  Del.  Vols. 
13'Jd  N.  Y.  Vols. 
8th  Ky.  Cav. 
21st  O.  Vols. 
89th  O.  Vols. 
1st  Vt.  Cav., 
87th  Pa.  Cav. 
10th  Me.  Vols. 
85th  N.  Y.  Vols., 
S5th  N.  Y.  Vets., 


Brookville,  Pa. 
Philadelphia,  Pa. 


Wallingford,  Vt. 


Canandaigua,  N.  Y. 
Black  Creek,  N.  Y. 


15 


358 


APPENDIX. 


Names. 

Regiment,  or  Comman  I. 

Residence, 

S.  B.  Adams, 

85th  N.  Y.  Vets. 

M.  Boyd, 

73d  Ind.  Vols., 

Chas.  Byron, 

3d  O.  Vols. 

Lenox,  O. 

E.  Baas, 

20th  111.  Vols. 

L.  T.  Borgess, 

67th  Pa.  Vols. 

Dyberry,  Pa. 

W.  K.  Boltz, 

181st  Pa.  Vols. 

II.  R.  Bending, 

61st  O.  Vols., 

Circleville,  O 

M.  R.  Baldwin, 

2d  Wis.  Vols. 

O.  D.  Brown, 

18th  Conn.  Vols. 

W.  P.  Bender, 

123d  O.  Vols. 

John  Bird, 

14th  Pa.  Cav. 

L.  D.  Blinn, 

100th  O.  Vols. 

D.  E.  Boharinan,*    . 

3d  Tenn.  Cav. 

D.  I.  Bailey, 

99th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

A.  J.  Bigelow, 

79th  111.  Vols. 

J.  Birch, 

42d  Ind.  Vols. 

D.  M.  Barritt, 

89th  0.  Vols. 

W.  M.  Beeman, 

1st  Va.  Cav. 

F.  Barton, 

10th  Mass.  Vols., 

Boston,  Mass. 

J.  H.  Barton, 

1st  Ky.  Cav. 

E.  B.  Bascom, 

6th  Iowa  Vols. 

B.  V.  Banks, 

13th  Ky.  Vols. 

J.G.Bush, 

10th  111.  Cav. 

W.  J.  Barnes, 

83d  N.  Y.  Vols. 

J.  A.  Brown, 

85th  N.  Y.  Vets., 

Wellsville,  N.  T. 

G.  TF.  Bowers, 

101st  Pa.  Vols., 

Pittsburg,  Pa. 

H.  S.  Benner, 

101st  Pa.  Vols., 

Gettysburg,  Pa. 

A.  Berry, 

3d  Md.  Cav., 

Baltimore,  Md. 

E.  Beale, 

8th  Tenn.  Vols. 

T.  F.  Burke, 

10th  Conn.  Vols., 

Hartford,  Conn. 

A.  Carley, 

73d  Ind.  Vols. 

H.  Casker, 

1st  N.  Y.  Cav. 

"VV.  F.  Conrad, 

25th  Iowa  Vols. 

J.  W.  Chamberlin, 

123d  O.  Vols. 

J.  Carroll, 

5th  Md.  Vols. 

J.  C.  Carpenter, 

67th  Pa.  Vols. 

B.  G.  Casler, 

154th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

East  Randolph,  N.  T 

C.  C.  Comee, 

94th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

E.  Charlier, 
Jno.  Cutler, 

157th  N.  Y.  Vols., 
34th  O.  Vols. 

New  York  City. 

It.  T.  Cornwall, 

67th  Pa.  Vols. 

Jno,  Craig, 

1st  Va.  Cav., 

Whr  eling,  W.  Va. 

Juo.  Christopher, 

IGth  U.  S.  Infty. 

J.  P.  Cummins, 

9th  Md.  Vols. 

M.  A.  Cochran, 

IGth  U.  S.  Infty. 

T.  Clarke, 

79th  111.  Vols: 

J.  Cusac, 

21st  O.  Vols. 

\V.  A.  Collins, 
B.  F.  Campbell, 

10th  Wis.  Vols., 
36th  111.  Vols. 

Milwaukee,  Wla. 

APPENDIX. 


359 


Names. 
S.  S.  Canfield, 
T.  Cummins, 
Miles  Canton, 
S.  D.  Connover, 
G.  A.  Crocker, 
W.  N.  Cochran, 
M.  Callahan, 
W.  E.  Conway, 
J.  P.  Cummins, 
M.  C.  Cams, 
J.  R.  Copeland, 
A.  R.  Calhoun, 
K.  S.  Curd, 
J.  A.  Clark, 
A.  G.  Cartwright, 
M.  L.  Clark, 

A.  Compher, 
J.  B.  Clapp, 
E.  G.  Cratty, 
H.  A.  Coats, 
J.  Donaghy, 

E.  M.  Driscoll, 
"VV.  N.  Deung, 

B.  Domschke, 

F.  B.  Doten, 

F.  W.  Diflion, 
H.  C.  Davis, 
Jno,  Dunce, 

W.  H.  Douglass, 
K.  S.  Dygert, 
JI.  Dietz, 
J.  M.  Dushane, 

G.  C.  Davis, 
R.  H.  Day, 
E.  Day,  Jr., 
R.  Dinsmore, 
E.  J.  Dunn, 

E.  Dillingham, 

F.  C.  Dirks, 
O.  Eastmond, 
H.  H.  Eberheart, 
B.  F.  Evers, 

S.  H.  Ewing, 
M.  Ewen, 

A.  Eglin, 
Jno.  M.  Flinn, 
E.  A.  Fobes, 

B.  F.  Fischer, 
A.  Field, 


Eegiment,  or  Command. 

21st  O.  Vols. 

19th  U.  S.  Infty. 

21st  O.  Vols. 

121st  111.  Vols., 

5th  N.  Y.  Cav. 

42d  111.  Vols. 

9th  Md.  Vols. 

9th  Md.  Vols. 

9th  Md.  Vols. 

3d  Tenn.  Vols. 

7th  O.  Cav. 

1st  Ky.  Cav., 

llth  Ky.  Cav. 

7th  Mich.  Cav. 

85th  N.  Y.  Vets., 

101st  Pa.  Vols., 

101st  Pa.  Vols., 

16th  Conn.  Vols., 

103d  Pa.  Vols., 

85th  N-Y.  Vets., 

103d  Pa.  Vols., 

3d  O.  Vols., 

51st  Ind.  Vols. 

26th  Wis.  Vols. 

Hth  Conn.  Vols. 

1st  Ky.  Cav. 

18th  Conn.  Vols., 

A.  D.  C. 

C.S. 

16th  Mich.  Vols. 

45th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

142d  N.  Y.  Vols. 

4th  Me.  Vols. 

56th  Pa.  Vols. 

89th  O.  Vols., 

6th  Pa.  Vols. 

1st  Tenn.  Cav. 

10th  Va.  Vols. 

1st  Tenn.  Vols. 

1st  N.  C.  U.  Vols., 

120th  O.  Vols.,     . 

100th  O.  Vols. 

26th  O.  Vols. 

21st  Wis.  Vols., 

45th  O.  Vols. 

51st  Ind.  Vols. 

C.  S.  U.  S.  Vols. 

S.  O. 

94th  N.  Y.  Vols; 


Residence. 


Squaw  Village,  N.  J. 


Louisville,  Ky. 


Philips  Creek,  N.  Y. 
Mansfield,  Pa. 
Ramsburg,  Pa. 
Wethersfield,  Conn. 
Butler,  Pa. 
Wellsville,  N.  Y. 
AUeghany  City,  Pa. 


Canterbury,  Conn. 


New  York  City. 


Bainbridge,  O. 


New  York  City. 
Wooster,  O. 


Fond  Du  Lac, 


Weedsport,  N.  Y. 


360 


APPENDIX. 


Names. 

Regiment,  or  Command. 

Kesidencc. 

J.  B.  Fay, 

154th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

E.  Frey, 

82d  111.  Vols. 

W.  Forrester, 

24th  O.  Vols. 

J.  W.  Foster, 

42d  111.  Vols... 

Belvldere,  111. 

D.  W.  D.  Freeman, 

101st  Pa.  Vols., 

Irish  Kipple,  Pa. 

J.  E.  Fisk, 

2d  Mass.  Arty., 

Grantville,  Mass. 

Di.  Getman, 

10th  N.  Y.  Cav., 

Maytield,  N.  Y. 

G.  C.  Gordon, 

24th  Mich.  Vols., 

Detroit,  Mich. 

G.  W.  Green, 

19th  Ind.  Vols., 

Muncie,  Ind. 

H.  W.  Gimber, 

150th  Pa.  Vols., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

W.  L.  Gray, 

151st  Pa.  Vols. 

J.  H.  Green, 

100th  O.  Vols., 

Fremont,  O. 

Chas.  Gustaveson, 

15th  Wis.  Vols. 

J.  F.  Gallaher, 

2d  O.  Vols. 

J.  Goetz, 

22d  Mich.  Vols., 

Mt.  Clemens,  Micl^ 

A.  G.  Galbraith, 

22d  Mich.  Vols., 

Lexington,  Mich. 

J.  Gates, 

33d  O.  Vols. 

O.  C.  Gatch, 

89th  O.  Vols., 

Millford,  O. 

S.  A.  Glenn, 

89th  O.  Vols., 

Hillsboro',  O. 

J.  W.  Grose, 

18th  Ky.  Vols.      • 

B.  Grafton, 

64th  O.  Vols., 

Marion,  O. 

H.  H.  Gregg, 

13th  Penn.  Cav., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Jas.  Gait, 

A.  Q.  M. 

M.  Gallagher, 

2d  N.  J.  Cav. 

Daniel  Hay, 

80th  Ill.Vols. 

A.  Hodge, 

80th  111.  Volf.., 

Fosterbury,  111. 

J.  G.  Hagler, 

5th  Tenn.  Vols. 

A.  M.  Heyer,* 

10th  Va.  Cav. 

J.  Hendricks, 

1st  N.  Y.  Cav. 

J.  Heil, 

45th  N.  Y.,  Vols., 

New  York  City. 

A.  Haack, 

18th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

S.  G.  Hamlin, 

134th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Schenectady,  N.  Y. 

\V.L.  Hubbell, 

17th  Conn.  Vols. 

P.  H.  Hart, 

19th  Ind.  Vols., 

Edensburg,  Ind. 

A.  Heffley, 

142d  Pa.  Vols., 

Berlin,  Pa. 

W.  W.  Hant, 

100th  O.  Vols. 

Chas.  Hasty, 

2d  N.  Y.  Cav., 

Lafayette,  Ind. 

<*..  G.  Hamilton, 

12th  Ky.  Vols. 

T.  Handy, 

79th  111.  Vols. 

V.  K.  Hart, 

19th  U.  S. 

If.  Hescock, 

1st  Mo.  Art'y, 

St.  Louis,  Mo. 

K.  Harkness, 

10th  Wis.  Vols. 

H.  E.  Hawkins, 

78th  111.  Vols., 

Coastbury,  III. 

C.  C.  Huntley, 

16th  111.  Vola., 

Springfield,  111. 

J.  B.  Herold, 

9th  Md.  Vols. 

S.  C.  Honeycutt, 

2d  E.  Tenn.  Vols. 

J.  W.  Hetsler, 

9th  O.  Cav., 

Calvina,  O. 

A.  H.  Hays, 

7th  Tenn.  Cav., 

Lovington,  Tenn.  ' 

W.  Harris, 

24th  Mo.  Cav., 

Mount  Veruon,  Mo. 

APPENDIX. 


Names. 

Kegiment,  or  Command. 

Residence. 

R.  H.  O.  Hertzog, 

1st  N.  Y.  Cav., 

New  York  City. 

H.  Hintz, 

16th  Conn.  Vols., 

Hartford,  Conn. 

R.  B.  Hock, 

12th  N.  Y.  Cav., 

New  York  City. 

W.  C.  Holt, 

6th  Tenn.  Vols., 

Trenton,  Tenn. 

S.  Invin,' 

3d  Iowa  Vols. 

J.  M.  Irpbric, 

3d  O.  Vols., 

Wellsville,  O. 

F.  Irsch, 

45th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

New  York  City. 

R.  O.  Ives, 

10th  Mass.  Vols., 

Rochester,  N.  Y. 

S.  F.  Jones, 

80th  111.  Vols., 

Jones'  Creek,  111. 

R.  Johnson, 

6th  N.  Y.  Cav., 

Ogdensburgh. 

J.  C.  Johnson, 

149th  Pa.  Vols., 

Couder's  Port,  Pa. 

F.  R.  Joselyn, 

llth  Mass.  Vols., 

Boston,  Mass. 

D.  I.  Jones, 

1st  Ky.  Cav. 

J.  S.  Jackson, 

22d  111.  Vols. 

Salem,  111, 

J.  M.  Johnson, 

6th  Ky.  Vols. 

J.  A.  Johnson, 

llth  Ky.  Cav. 

J.  T.  Jennings, 

45th  O.  Vols., 

Kenton,  O. 

W.  M.  Kendall, 

73d  Ind.  Vol«., 

Plymouth,  Ind. 

E.  M.  Koch, 

5th  Md.  Vols. 

S.  B.  King, 

12th  Pa.  Cav., 

New  Haven,  Conn. 

A.  M.  Keeler, 

22d  Mich.  Vols., 

Disco,  Mich. 

D.  A.  Kelly, 

1st  Ky.  Cav. 

J.  Kelly, 

73d  Pa.  Vols. 

D.  F.  Kelly, 

73d  Pa.  Vols. 

J.  Kennedy, 

73d  Pa.  Vols. 

T    irause, 

3d  Pa.  Arfy. 

Vl   D.  Lucas, 

5th  N.  Y.  Cav., 

East  Gainsville,  N.  T. 

R.  F.  Lounsberry, 

10th  N.  Y.  Cav. 

L.  P.  Lovett, 

5th  Ky.  Vols. 

John  Lucas, 

5th  Ky.  Vols. 

J.  W.  Lewis, 

4th  Ky.  Cav. 

E.  31.  Lee, 

5th  Mich.  Car. 

J.  E.  Love, 

8th  Ky.  Vols., 

St.  Louis,  Mo. 

J.  R.  Laud, 

66th  Ind.  Vols., 

Leavenworth,  Ind. 

J.  K.  Loyd, 

17th  Mass.  Vol., 

Boston,  Mass. 

S.  McKee,* 

Hth  Ky.  Cav. 

D.  H.  Mull, 

73d  Ind.  Vols. 

D.  A.  Mcliolland, 

51st  Ind.  Vols., 

Adriance,  Ind. 

J.  B.  McRoberts, 

3d  O.  Vols. 

McMoor, 

29th  Ind.  Vols. 

W.  M.  Morris, 

93d  111.  Vols. 

H.  C.  McGuiddy, 

1st  Ten.  Cav. 

F.  Meunert, 

5th  Md.  Vols. 

E.  J.  Mattherson,* 

18th  Conn.  Vols., 

Dixon,  Conn. 

W.  F.  Martins, 

14th  Mass.  Arty. 

P.  Marsh, 

67th  Pa.  Vols. 

D.  B.  Meany, 

13th  Pa.  Cav. 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

C.  C.  Moses, 

58th  Pa.  Vols. 

C.  A.  Mann, 

5th  111.  Car. 

*  362 


APPENDIX. 


Names. 

Regiment,  or  Command. 

S.  Marsh, 

6th  Md.  Vols. 

J.  McMahon, 

94th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

E.  A.  Mass, 

88th  Pa.  Yols. 

A.  J.  Makepeace, 

19th  Ind.  Vols., 

H.  11.  Mason, 

2d  N.  Y.  Cav., 

C.  W.  Metcalf, 

42d  Ind.  Vols., 

J.  S.  McDowell, 

77th  Pa.  Vols. 

J.  G.  Williams, 

61st  111.  Vols. 

J.  Meagher, 

40th  O.  Vols. 

W.  McGinnis,* 

74th  111.  Vols. 

J.  M.  McComas, 

9th  Md.  Vols. 

A.  W.  Metcalf; 

14th  N.  Y.  Cav. 

M.  R.  Milsaps, 

2d  E.  Tenn.  Vols. 

A.  Marney, 

2d  E.  Tenn.  Vols. 

W.  M.  Murray, 

2d  E.  Tenn.  Vols. 

J.  C.  Martin, 

1st  Tenn.  Arty. 

S.  Meade, 

lllth  N.  Y.  Vols., 

G.  W.  Moore, 

7th  Tenn.  Vols., 

A.  H.  Mooney, 

16th  N.  Y.  Cav., 

D.  W.  Mullin, 

101st  Pa.  Vols., 

J.  F.  Mackey, 

103d  Pa.  Vols., 

G.  A.  Manning, 

2d  Mass.  Cav., 

W.  A.  Noel, 

5th  Md.  Vols. 

II.  Noble, 

9th  Md.  Vols. 

T.  W.  Olcott, 

134th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

E.  O'Brien, 

29th  Mo.  Vols., 

W.  Ottinger, 

8th  Tenn.  Vols. 

K.  C.  Pace, 

80th  111.  Yols. 

J.  D.  rhelps, 

73d  Ind.  Vols. 

F.  A.  Patterson, 

fid.  Va.  Cav. 

J.  F.  Porter, 

154th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

J.  A.  Pennfleld, 

6th  N.  Y.  Cav., 

E.  Porter. 

154th  N.  Y.  Cav., 

S.  V.  Poole, 

154th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

F.  Place, 

157th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

S.  H.  Pillsbury, 

6th  Me.  Vols., 

R.  Pollock; 

14th  Pa.  Vols., 

G.  S.  Pierce, 

19th  U.  S., 

F.  W.  Perry, 

10th  Wis.  Vols., 

E.  J.  Pennypacker, 

18th  Pa.  Cav., 

W.  F.  Pickerill, 

5th  Iowa  Vols. 

J.  E.  Page, 

5th  Iowa  Vols., 

J.  A.  Parmalee, 

7th  Ind.  Vols., 

J.  L.  Poston, 

13th  Tenn.  Vols., 

J.  A.  Richley, 

73d  Ind.  Vols. 

M.  Russell, 

51st  Ind.  Vols. 

P.  C.  Reed, 

3d  O.  Vols., 

W.  C.  Rossman, 

3d  O.  Vols., 

J.F.  Randolph, 

123d  0.  Vols. 

^    Residence. 
TitusvUle,  Pa. 

Anderson,  In<8» 
Lafayette,  Ind, 
Dale,  Ind. 


Moravia,  N.  T. 
Lovington,  Tenn. 
Plattsburg,  N.  Y. 
Bedford,  Pa. 
Clarion,  Pa. 
Oldtown,  Mass. 


Cherry  Valley,  N.  I 
Cape  Girardeau,  M( 


Crown  Point,  N.  T. 
Clean,  N.  Y. 
Springfield,  N.  Y, 

Biddeford,  Me. 

Dubuque,  Iowa. 
Menasha,  Wis. 
Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Iowa  City,  Iowa. 
Valparaiso,  Ind. 
Cageville,  Tenn. 


Hamilton,  O. 
Hamilton,  O. 


APPENDIX. 


363 


Names. 

Regiment,  or  Command. 

Residency 

A.  RobbiLS, 

123d  O.  Vols. 

C.  H.  Riggs, 

123d  O.  Vols. 

O.  II.  Rosenbaunij 

123d  O.  Vols., 

Sandusky  City,  <X 

W.  Rowan, 

Indp.  Cav. 

M.  Rollins, 

2d  Wis.  Vols. 

J.  C.  Kose, 

4th  Mo.  Cav. 

Thos.  Reed, 

1st  Va.  Vols.    - 

W.  A.  Robinson, 

77th  Iowa  Vols. 

B.  F.  Riggs, 

18th  Ky.  Vols. 

N.  S.  Randall, 

2d  Mo.  Vols. 

J.  A.  Rice, 

73d  111.  Vols., 

Harrisburg,  HI. 

W.  J.  Robb, 

1st  Va.  Vols., 

Wheeling,  AY.  Va: 

A.  Rodgers, 

4th  Ky.  Cav., 

Louisville,  Ky. 

C.  Rowan, 

90th  111.  Vols. 

S.  B.  Ryder, 

5th  N.  Y.  Cav., 

Arbane,  N.  Y. 

C.  Reynolds, 

8th  Tenn.  Vols. 

W.  H.  Robins, 

2d  E.  Tenn.  Vols. 

J.  A.  Russell, 

93d  111.  Vols. 

Neponset,  111. 

W.J.  Robb, 

1st  W.  Va.  Vols., 

Wheeling,  W.  Va. 

T.  B.  Robinson, 

10th  Conn.  Vols., 

Bristol,  Conn. 

W.  L.  Starkweather, 

85th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Olean,  N.  Y. 

Jas.  Shaefer, 

101st  Pa.  Vols., 

Carlisle,  Pa. 

F.  Smullin, 

103d  Pa.  Vols., 

Oakland,  Pa. 

I.  B.  Sampson, 

2d  Mass.  H.  Artillery, 

Springfield,  Mass. 

A.  Stewart, 

> 

Uniontown,  Pa. 

J.  C.  Stover, 

3d  Tenn.  Vols. 

W.  W.  Scarce, 

61st  Ind  Vols. 

W.  A.  Swayzie, 

3d  O.  Vols., 

Columbus,  O. 

D.  D.  Smith, 

1st  Tenn.  Cav. 

E.  Szabad, 

A.D.  C., 

Washington,  D.  C. 

II.  W.  Sawyer, 

1st  N.  J.  Cav. 

E.  A.  Shepherd, 

110th  O.  Vols. 

J).  Schirtz, 

12th  Pa.  Cav. 

Geo.  L.  Schell, 

88th  Pa.  Vols., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

G.  H.  Starr, 

104th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

Rochester,  N.  Y. 

J.  R.  Stone, 

157th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

Wm.  Syr  ing, 

45th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

R.  Scoiield, 

1st  Vt.  Cav., 

Brattleboro',  Vt. 

F.  M.  Shoemaker, 

100th  O.  Vols., 

Waterville,  O. 

J.  A.  Schemmerhornj, 

112th  Ind.  Vols. 

J.  C.  Schroade, 

77th  Pa.  Vols., 

Lancaster,  Pa. 

A.  II.  Stanton, 

IGth  U.  S.  Inf. 

R.  II.  Spencer, 

10th  Wis.  Vols.  t 

J.  C.  Stover,   ''- 

3d  E.  Tenn.  Vols. 

S.  A.  Spencer, 

82d  O.  Vols. 

E.  L.  Smith, 

19th  U.  S.  Inf. 

J  P.  Singer, 

33d  O.  Vols. 

A.  P.  Seuter, 

2d  E.  Tenn.  Vols. 

P.  S.  Scott, 

85th  111.  Vols. 

s 

364 


APPENDIX. 


Names. 

Regiment,  or  Command. 

Residence, 

M.  C.  Turner, 

16th  Conn.  Vols., 

Hartford,  Conn. 

T.  Thornton, 

161st  X.  Y.  Vols. 

John  Teed, 

116th  Pa.  Vols. 

O.  Templeton, 

10?th  Pa.  Vols. 

H.  D.  Taylor, 

100th  O.  Vols. 

B.  E.  Thomson, 

A.  D.  C. 

T.  Ten  Eyck, 

18th  U.  S.  Inf. 

A.  Tubbs, 

9th  Ky.  Cav. 

T.  Thornton, 

5th  U.  S.  Inf. 

G.  C.  Urwiler, 

67th  Pa.  Vols. 

S.  A.  Urquhard, 

C.  S.  U.  S.  Vols. 

J.  D.  Underdown, 

2d  E.  Tenn.  Vols. 

J.  W.  Yanderhoef, 

45th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

G.  M.  Van  Buren, 

6th  N.  Y.  Cav., 

Washington,  D.  C. 

J.  D.  Wheeler, 

15th  Conn.  Vols., 

New  Ilaven,  Conn. 

A.  Wilson, 

80th  111.  Vols. 

W.  R.  Wright, 

80th  111.  Vols. 

J.  A.  Wistlake, 

73d  Ind.  Vols. 

Wm.  Walleck, 

61st  Ind.  Vols. 

G.  W.  Warner, 

18th  Conn.  Vols. 

C.  W.  White', 

3d  Va.  Cav., 

Baltimore,  Md. 

W.  Willets, 

7th  Mich.  Vols., 

Birmingham,  Mich. 

J.  C.  Whiteside, 

94th  N.  Y.  Vote., 

Wyoming,  N.  Y. 

T.  E.  Wentworth, 

16th  Me.  Vols. 

W.  C.  Wilson, 

104th  X.  Y.  Vols., 

Spencer,  Mass. 

H.  C.  White, 

94th  X.  Y.  Vols., 

Lysander,  N.  Y. 

C.  C.  Widdis, 

150th  Pa.  Vols., 

Germantown,  Pa. 

Geo.  M.  White, 

1st  Va.  Vols., 

Wellsburg,  W.  Va. 

W.  H.  Williams, 

4th  X.  Y.  Cav., 

Albany,  N.  Y. 

P.  Wellsheimer, 

21st  111.  Vols., 

Neoga,  111. 

H.  P.  Wands, 

22d  Mich.  Cav., 

St.  Clair,  Mich. 

W.  B.  Wicker, 

21st  O.  Vols. 

J.  E.  Wilkens, 

112th  111.  Vols. 

J.  G.  Wild, 

9th  N.  Y.  Cav. 

J.  H.  Wheelan, 

A.Q.M. 

E.  A.  Wolcott, 

16th  111.  Vols. 

M.  G.  Whitney, 

29th  Mo.  Vols. 

H.  Zeis, 

80th  111.  Vols. 

LIEUTENANTS. 

M.  Ahem, 

10th  Va.  Vols. 

C.  L.  Alstaed, 

54th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Newark,  N.  J. 

S.  A.  Albro, 

80th  111.  Vols., 

Uppcr^lton,  111. 

Jas.  Adams, 

80th  111.  Vols., 

Nashville,  111. 

W.  A.  Adair, 

51st  Ind.  Vols., 

North  Salem,  Ind. 

H,  Appel, 

1st  Md.  Cav., 

Washington,  D.  C. 

K.  \\'.  Anderson, 

122d  O.  Vols., 

Columbus,  O. 

H.  F,  Anshutz, 

12th  Va.  Vola., 

Moundville,  W.  Va. 

APPEND  JT. 


365 


Name*. 

Regiment,  or  Command. 

Ilcsid  face. 

f  .  S.  Armstrong, 

122d  O.  Vols., 

C  ratiot,  fj. 

H.  M.  Anderson,  ' 

3d  Me.  Vols. 

J.  II.  Ahlert, 

45th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

tfew  York  City. 

C.  I;  Anderson, 

8d  Iowa  Vols. 

G.  D.  Acker, 

123d  O.  Vols., 

Fostoria,  O. 

H.  AY.  Adams, 

37th  111.  Vols., 

Fra-akfort,  111. 

E.  E.  Andrews; 

22d  Mich.  Vols., 

MiUford,  3Iich. 

A.  Alice,* 

16th  111.  Cav., 

Lincoln,  111. 

H.  S.  Albin, 

79th  111.  Vols., 

Tuscola,  111. 

R.J.Allen, 

2d  E.  Tenn.  Vols. 

P.  Atkin, 

2d  E.  Tenn.  Vols. 

A.  B.  Alger, 

22d  O.  Bat., 

Mansfield,  O. 

J.  W.  Austin, 

5th  Iowa  Vols., 

Lansing,  Iowa. 

H.  C.  Abernathy, 

10th  111.  Cav., 

Par's,  Mo. 

W.  F.  Allender, 

7th  Tenn.  Cav.     ' 

W.  R.  Andrus, 

10th  Conn.  Vols., 

East  iA.fiin,  Conn. 

S.  T.  Andrews, 

85th  N.  Y.  Vets., 

Black  Creek,  N.  Y. 

T.  I.  Brownell, 

51st  Ind.  Vols. 

J.  W.  Barlow, 

51st  Ind.  Vols., 

London,  Ind. 

J.  G.  Blue, 

3d  O.  Vols., 

Gardington,  O. 

O.  P.  Barnes, 

3d  O.  Vols., 

Barnesville,  O. 

G.  W.  Bailey, 

3d  O.  Vols. 

J.  L.  Brown, 

73d  Irvi.  Vols. 

A.  H.  Booher, 

7C-il  ImJ.  Vols., 

Westville,  111. 

J.  F.  Bedwell, 

80th  O.  Vols. 

W.  Blancherd, 

2d  U.  S.  Cav. 

B.  F.  Blair, 

123d  O.  Vols., 

Norwalk,  O. 

H.  S.  Bevington, 

123d  O.  Vols. 

F.  AT.  Boyd, 

123d  O.  Vols., 

<!\  A.  Breckenridge, 

123d  O.  Vols. 

31onroeville,  O« 

Jno.  D.  Babb, 

5th  Md.  Vols. 

J.  G.  W.  Brueting, 

5th  Md  Vols., 

Baltimore,  3Id. 

T.  J.  Borchess, 

67th  Pa.  Vols., 

Dyberry,  Pa. 

"W.  Bierbower, 

87th  Pa".  Vols., 

York,  Pa. 

G.  C.  Bleak, 

3d  3Ie.  Vols. 

W.  H.  Berry, 

5th  111.  Cav. 

H.  Bath, 

45th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

New  York  City. 

L.  C.  Bisby, 

10th  Me.  Vols., 

Canton  Mills,  3Iec 

31.  Beadle, 

123d  N.  Y.  Vols., 

South  Easton,  N.  1. 

C.  T.  Barclay, 

149th  Pa.  Vols. 

J.  D.  Bisby, 

10th  3Ie.  Vols., 

Canton  Mills,  3Ie. 

S.  G.  Boone, 

88th  Pa.  Vols., 

Reading,  Pa. 

D.  S.  Bartram, 

17th  Conn.  Vols., 

Redding,  Conn. 

Jas.  Burns, 

57th  Pa.  Vols., 

Clark's  Post,  Pa. 

S.  II.  Ballard, 

Oth  Mich.  Cav., 

Battle  Creek,  3Iicb, 

S.  T.  Boughton, 

71st  Pa.  Vols. 

31.  31.  Bassett, 

53d  111.  Vols. 

R.  Y.  Bradford, 

2dW.  Tenn.  V«ls. 

W.  H.  Bricker, 

3d  Pa.  Cav,, 

Newville,  Ta, 

15* 


166 


APPENDIX. 


yamcs. 

Regiment,  or  Command. 

Residence. 

/.  T.  Brush, 

100th  O.  Vols. 

O.  G.  Ballow, 

100th  O.  Vols. 

J.  F.  Baird, 

1st  Va.  Vols., 

Wheeling,  Va. 

E.  G.  Birun, 

3d  Mass.  Vols. 

G.E.Blair, 

17th  O.  Vols. 

Jas.  Biggs, 

123d  111.  Vols. 

T.  Bickham, 

19th  U.  S.  Inf. 

J.  P.  Brown, 

15th  U.  S., 

Dayton,  O.« 

M.  C.  Bryant, 

42d  111.  Vols., 

Kankakee,  111. 

O.  B.  Brandt, 

mh  O.  Vols., 

Lancaster,  O. 

G.  W.  Button, 

22d  Mich.  Vols., 

Farmington,  Mich. 

C.  A.  Burdick, 

10th  Wis.  Vols. 

J.  L.  Brown, 

73d  Ind.  Vols. 

F.  T.  Bennett, 

18th  U.  S.  Inf. 

Jno.  Baird, 

89th  O.  Vols. 

W.  O.  Butler, 

10th  Wis.  Vols. 

D.  A.  Bannister, 

59th  O.  Vols. 

Jno.  Bradford, 

C.  S.,  U.  S.  Vola., 

Hoboken,  N.  J. 

G.  R.  Barse, 

6th  Mich.  Cav. 

C.  P.  Butler, 

29th  Ind.  Vols., 

Peru,  HI. 

E.  P.  Brooks, 

Cth  Wis.  Vols. 

W.  L.  Brown, 

17th  Tenn.  Vols. 

G.  "NY.  Buffum, 

1st  Wis.  Vols. 

Guy  Bryan, 

18th  Pa.  Cav., 

Vincenttown,  N.  Y. 

S.  S.  Baker, 

Cth  Mo.  Vols. 

^ 

H.  Bader, 

29th  Mo.  Vols., 

Cape  Girardeau,  Mo. 

S.  II.  Byerg, 

5th  Iowa  Vols., 

Newton,  Iowa. 

W.  L.  Bath, 

132d  N.  Y.  Vols. 

Geo.  M.  Bush. 

A.  H.  Bassett, 

79th  111.  Vols. 

A.  B.  Bradley, 

85th  N.  Y.  Vets., 

Friendship,  N.  T. 

L.  A.  Butts, 

85th  N.  Y.  Vets., 

Cuba,  N.  Y. 

G.  A.  Bowers, 

10th  Conn.  Vols. 

Hartford,  Conn. 

B.  F.  Blakeslee, 

IGth  Conn.  Vols., 

New  Britain,  Conn. 

H.  Bruns, 

16th  Conn.  Vols., 

Bridgeport,  Conn. 

E.  R.  Bryson, 

103d  Pa.  Vols., 

Butler,  Pa. 

S.  D.  Burns, 

103d  Pa.  Vols., 

Circlesville,  Pa. 

D.  F.  Beegle, 

101st  Pa.  Vols., 

Rainsburg,  Pa. 

J.  H.  Bryan, 

184th  Pa.  Vols., 

Harrisburg,  Pa. 

R.  Bascomb, 

50th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Rome,  N.  Y. 

W.  H.  Brown, 

93d  O.  Vols., 

Dayton,  O. 

W.  Bath, 

132d  N.  Y.  Vols. 

P.  Bischoff, 

6th  U.  S.  Artillery, 

St.  Louis,  Mo. 

G.  L.  Brown, 

101st  Pa.  Vols., 

Milton,  Pa. 

C.  L.  Brandt, 

1st  N.  Y.  Vets., 

Belmont,  N.  Y. 

S.  Byron, 

2d  U.  S.  Infantry. 

H.  Caswell, 

95th  111.  Vols. 

E.  Barroll, 

llth  Tenn.  Vol», 

01 

i'.  Cameron, 

16th  tf  Y.  Cav, 

APPENDIX. 


367 


Names. 

Regiment,  or  Command. 

Residence. 

C.  Caldwell, 

1st  Wis.  Cav., 

Lind,  Wis. 

A.  Cooper, 

12th  N.  Y.  Cav., 

Oswego.  N.  Y. 

A.  G.  Chase, 

10th  Conn.  Vols., 

Simsbury,  Conn. 

J.  C.  Cubbinson, 

101st  Pa.  Vols., 

Irish  Ripple,  Pa. 

H.  L.  Clark, 

2d  Mass.  Artillery, 

Springfield,  Masr. 

J.  C.  Colwell, 

16th  111.  Cav., 

Chicago,  111. 

Jno.  II.  Conn, 

1st  Va.  Cav. 

S.  D.  Carpenter, 

3d  O.  Vols., 

Springfield,  O. 

\V.  A.  Curry, 

3d  O.  Vols. 

R.  J.  Connelly, 

73d  Ind.  Vols. 

A.  M.  Callalian, 

73d  Ind.  Vols. 

J.  W.  Custed, 

23d  Ind.  Vols.    , 

J.  D.  Cook, 

6th  Iowa  Vols., 

St.  Louis,  Mo. 

J.  Carothers, 

78th  O.  Vols. 

S.  R.  Colloday, 

6th  Pa.  Cav. 

T.  B.  Calver, 

123d  O.  Vols. 

L.  B.  Cumins, 

17th  Mass.  Vols. 

J.  II.  Cook, 

5th  Md.  Vols. 

J.  H.  Chandler, 

5th  Md.  Vols. 

E.  D.  Carpenter, 

18th  Conn.  Vols., 

Putnam,  Conn, 

H.  F.  Cowles, 

18th  Conn.  Vols. 

W.  Cristopher, 

2d  Va.  Cav. 

J.  Q.  Carpenter, 

150th  Pa.  Vols., 

Germantown,  Pa, 

H.  B.  Chamberlain, 

97th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

T.  J.  Crossley, 

157th  Pa.  Vols., 

Titusville,  Pa. 

J.  A.  Carman, 

107th  Pa.  Vols. 

J.  A.  Coffin, 

157th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Oswego,  N.  Y. 

D.  J.  Conelly, 

63d  N.  Y.  Vols., 

New  York  City. 

J.  U.  Childs, 

16th  Me.  Vols., 

Farmington,  Me. 

D.  B.  Caldwell, 

75th  O.  Vols. 

W.  B.  Cook, 

140th  Pa.  Vols., 

Candor,  Pa. 

G.  W.  Chandler, 

1st  Va.  Cav., 

Birmingham,  O- 

H.  A.  Curtice, 

157th  N.  G.  Vols., 

Courtlandt,  N.  if. 

J.  Chatburn, 

150th  Pa.  Vols., 

Germantown,  Pa. 

S.  E.  Cary, 

13th  Mass.  Vols. 

A.  Cloadt, 

119th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Washington,  D.  C. 

J.  Clement, 

15th  Ky.  Cav., 

Hewalton,  Ind. 

G.  A.  Chandler, 

15th  Mo.  Vols. 

J.  II.  Cain, 

104th  N.  Y.  Vols, 

Albany,  N.  Y. 

B.  Coles, 

2d  N.  Y.  Cav., 

New  York  City. 

J.  B.  Carlisle, 

2d  Va.  Vols., 

Ironton,  O. 

G.  B.  Coleman, 

1st  Mass.  Cav. 

Hyde  Crocker, 

1st  N.  J.  Cav., 

1  ort  Jervis,  N.  J. 

G.  A.  Coffin, 

29th  Ind.  Vols. 

J.  L.  Cox, 

21st  111.  Vols. 

W.  M.  Cubbetson, 

30th  Ind.  Vols. 

T.  G.  Cochran, 

77th  Pa.  Vols., 

Chambersburg,  Pa, 

Geo.  Cleghorn, 

21et  O.  Vols. 

W.  W.  Calkins, 

104th  111.  Vols., 

Ottawa,  111. 

APPENDIX. 


Names. 

Ttegiiiienty  or  Command, 

Residence, 

G.  Celly, 

4th  O.  Cav. 

H.  B.  Crawford, 

2d  111.  Cav. 

T.  S.  Coloman, 

12th  Ky.  Cav. 

O.  L.  Cole, 

51st  111.  Vols., 

Elgin,  111. 

Rudolph  Curtis, 

4th  Ky.  Cav., 

Louisville,  Ky. 

M.  C.  Causton, 

19th  U.  S.  Inf. 

E.  Cottingham, 

35th  0.  Vols. 

W.  Clifford, 

16th  U.  S.  Inf. 

M.  Cohen, 

4th  Ky.  Cav., 

Louisville,  Ky. 

A.  S.  Cooper, 

9th  Md.  Vols. 

J.  F.  Carter, 

9th  Md.  Vols., 

Baltimore,  Md. 

C.  W.  Catlett, 

2d  E.  Tenn.  Vo's. 

W.  H.  Crawford, 

2d  E.  Tenn.  Vols. 

C.  J.  Carlin, 

151st  N.  Y.  Vols. 

H.  Cuniffe, 

13th  111.  Vols. 

C.  H.  Casdorph, 

8th  Va.  Cav., 

Kanawha,  W.  Va. 

G.  W.  Carey, 

65th  Ind.  Vols. 

J.  G.  Doughty, 

51st  Ind.  Vols. 

J.  A.  Dilan, 

51st  Ind.  Vols. 

T.  A.  Dooley, 

51st  Ind.  Vols., 

Winchester,  Ind. 

T.  B.  Dewies, 

2d  U.  S.  Inf. 

M.  Dienner, 

10th  Mo.  Vols. 

V.  R.  Davis, 

123d  O.  Vols. 

C.  G.  Davis, 

1st  Mass.  Cav., 

Worcester,  Mass. 

L.  N.  Ducherney, 

1st  Mass.  Cav. 

J.  R.  Day, 

3d  Me.  Vols., 

Waterville,  Me. 

J.  S.  Devine, 

71st  Pa.  Vols., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Geo.  A.  Deering, 

16th  Me.  Vols. 

A.  Dixon, 

104th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

Le  Roy,  N.  Y. 

Jno.  Daily, 

104th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Troy,  N.  Y. 

C.  H.  Drake, 

142d  Pa.  Vols. 

Stroudsburg,  Pa. 

B.  Davis, 

71st  Pa.  Vols. 

A.  W.  Dukel, 

114th  Pa.  Vols. 

F.  Donyley, 

27th  R.  I.  Vols. 

J.  W.  Drake, 

136th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Dansville,  N.  Y. 

C.  D.  Dillard, 

7th  Iowa  Vols. 

J.  W.  Day, 

17th  Mass.  Vols. 

Averill,  Mass. 

J.  M.  Dushane, 

142d  Pa.  Vols., 

Connelsville,  Pa. 

O.  G.  Doughton, 

100th  O.  Vols., 

fcjtryker,  O. 

T.  G.  Darnin, 

16th  U.  S.  Inf. 

H.  C.  Dunn, 

10th  Ky.  Vols. 

W.  G.  Dutton, 

67th  Pa.  Vols., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

L.  Drake, 

22d  Mich.  Vols., 

Pontiac,  Mich. 

E.  J.  Davis, 

44th  111.  Vols., 

Rocktown,  111. 

M.  V.  Dickey, 

94th  O.  Vols., 

Franklin,  O. 

Jno.  Dugan, 

35th  Ind.  Vols., 

Richmond,  Ina. 

Thos.  J.  Dean, 

5th  Mich.  Vols., 

Wayne,  Mich. 

John  Davidson, 

6th  N.  Y.  Artillery, 

Haverstraw,  N.  Y» 

W.  A.  Daily, 

8th  Pa.  Cav., 

Pkilalelpbi*  "a. 

APPENDIX. 


369 


Names. 

If  eyi  merit,  c.r  Command 

Residence. 

E.  H.  Duncan, 

2d  E.  Tenn.  Vols. 

A.  C.  Driffenbach, 

73d  Pa.  Vols., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

J.  TV.  Day, 

l?th  Mass.  Vols., 

Averill,  Mass. 

A.  A.  Dickerson, 

16th  Conn.  Vols., 

Hartford,  Conn. 

A..  P.  Day, 

15th  Conn.  Vols., 

New  Haven,  Conn. 

J.  TV.  Davis, 

115th  X.  Y.  Vols. 

T.  D.  Edwards, 

U.  S.  Xavy. 

C.  L.  Edmunds, 

67th  Pa.  Vola. 

D.  C.  Edwards, 

2d  Md.  Vols., 

Baltimore,  Md. 

J.  Egan, 

69th  Pa.  Vols. 

S.  Edmiston, 

89th  O.  Vols. 

W.  II.  Ellenwood, 

10th  Wis.  Vols. 

C.  TV.  Earle, 

90th  111.  Vols. 

G.  H.  Errickson, 

57th  X.  Y.  Vols., 

Brooklyn,  X.  T. 

Ceo.  TV.  Fish, 

3d  O.  Vols., 

Hamilton,  O. 

A.  Fry, 

73d  Ind.  Vols., 

Crown  Point,  Ind. 

J.  A.  Francis, 

18th  Conn.  Vols. 

TV.  Flick, 

67th  Pa.  Vols. 

J.  M.  Fales, 

1st  R.  I.  Cav., 

Providence,  R.  I. 

L.  P.  Fortescue, 

.  29th  Pa.  Vols. 

M.  Fellows, 

149th  Pa.  Vols. 

TV.  Fenner,    , 

2d  R.  I.  Cav. 

G.  D.  Forsyth,f 

100th  O.  Vols. 

G.  H.  Fowler, 

100th  O.  Vols. 

J.  C.  Fisher, 

7th  Ind.  Battery. 

T.  C.  Freeman, 

18th  U.  S.  Infty. 

K.  J.  Fisher, 

17th  Mo.  Vols. 

Chas.  Fritze, 

24th  111.  Vols., 

Chicago,  III. 

J.  A.  Flemming, 

90th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

E.  F.  Foster, 

30th  Ind.  Vols. 

II  .  Fairchild, 

89th  O.  Vols., 

Plattville,  Wis. 

TV.  H.  Follette, 

Mass.  Artillery, 

Quincy,  Mass. 

A.  TV.  Fritchie, 

20th  Mo.  Vols., 

St.  Louis,  Mo. 

J.  Fontaine, 

73d  Pa.  Vols., 

Washington,  D.  C. 

E.  H.  Fobes, 

131st  N.  Y.  Vols. 

P.  D.  Fox, 

10th  111.  Cav., 

Aurora,  111. 

J.  Fritz, 

llth  Tenn.  Vols. 

8.  A.  Fay, 

85th  N.  Y.  Vets., 

Clean,  X.  Y. 

C.  TV.  Frost, 

85th  N.  Y.  Vets., 

Rochester,  X.  Y. 

O.  M.  Fish, 

2d  Mass.  Artillery, 

Boston,  Mass. 

A.  L.  Fluke, 

103d  Pa.  Vols., 

Kittaning,  Pa. 

M.  C.  Foot, 

9-'d  X.  Y.  Vols. 

Cooperstown,  X.  Yk 

J.  D.  Fox, 

16th  111.  Cav., 

Aurora,  111. 

J.  O.  Goodrich, 

85th  X.  Y.  Vets.., 

Scottsville,  X.  Y. 

S.  A.  Geasland, 

llth  Tenn.  Cav. 

Kingston,  Tenn. 

A.Gude, 

61st  Ind.  Vols., 

Bruseville,  Ind. 

t  Captain  For*yth  was  shot  dead  by  a  sentinel  at  Llbby  Prison  in  the  spring  of  1864,  Trail* 
Bar.diiig  near  one  of  the  prison  window*. 


370 


APPENDIX.. 


Namts. 
H.  Gamble, 

Regiment,  or  Command. 
73d  Ind.  Vols. 

Residence. 

Jno.  A.  Garces, 

1st  Md.  Car. 

Thos.  G.  Rot  d, 

1st  Md.  Cav. 

C.  M.  Cross, 

100th  O.  Tola. 

G.  W.  Grant, 
A.  Goodwin, 

88th  Pa.  Vols., 
82d  O.  Vols. 

Heading,  Pa. 

O.  Grierson,f 

45th  ^.  Y.  Vols. 

F.  C.  Gay, 
C.  F.  Gutland, 

llth  Pa.  Vols., 
134th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

Donegal,  Pa. 

E.  G.  Gorgus, 

90th  Pa.  Vols. 

J.  A.  Gilmore, 

79th  Jf.  Y.  Vols. 

S.  P.  Gamble, 
E..L.  Garrett, 

63d  Pa.  Vols., 
4th  Mo.  Cav. 

Pittsburg,  Pa. 

F.  M.  Gilleland, 

15th  Ky.  Vols. 

Geo.  H.  Gamble, 

8th  111.  Cav. 

D.  Garbet, 

77th  Pa.  Vols., 

Hyde  Park,  Pa. 

T.  Gross, 
If.  Gerhardt, 

21st  111.  Vols., 
24th  111.  Vols. 

Bement,  111. 

R.  H.  Gray, 

15th  U.  S.  Infty, 

Cleveland,  O. 

J.  M.  Goff, 

,     10th  Wis.  Vols. 

W.  G.  Galloway, 

15th  U.  S.  Infty. 

J.  H.  Gagerly, 

10th  U.  S.  Infty. 

9 

R.  C.  Gates, 

18th  U.  S.  Infty. 

C.  W.  Green, 

44th  Ind.  Vols. 

J.  B.  Gore, 

15th  111,  Vols. 

J.  A.  Green, 

13th  Pa'.  Cav. 

W.  W.  Glazier, 
E.  Gordon, 

2d  N.  Y.  Cav., 
81st  Ind.  Vols. 

Fowler,  N.  T. 

A.  L.  Gater, 

10th  Wis.  Vols., 

Hustisford,  TTia. 

M.  Gray, 
W.  G.  Griffin, 
C.  E.  Greble, 
Geo.  Good, 

13th  N.  Y.  Vols., 
112th  111.  Vols., 
8th  Mich.  Cav., 
84th  Pa.  Vols. 

Kaugatuck,  Conn. 
Cambridge,  111. 
Battle  Creek,  Mich 

M.  E.  Green, 

5th  Md.  Cav. 

J.  B.  Holmes, 

6th  O.  Vols. 

Jno.  Hood, 

80th  111.  Vols. 

R.  J.  llarmer, 

80th  111.  Vols. 

W.  H.  Harvey, 

61st  Ind.  Vols. 

G.  D.  Hand, 
D.  H.  Hams, 

51st  Ind.  Vols., 
3d  O.  Vols. 

Shelbyville,  Ind. 

Jno.  Haideman, 

129th  111.  Vols. 

S.  H.  Horton, 

101st  Pa.  Vola. 

W.  E.  Hodge, 
W.  Hawkins, 

5th  Md.  Vols., 
5th  Md.  Vols. 

Baltimore,  Md. 

D.  W.  Hakes, 

18th  Conn.  Vols. 

N 

J.  D.  Higgins, 

18th  Conn.  Vols. 

t  Shot  and  mortally  wounded  by  a  sentinel  on  the  stockade  at  Macon,  Ga.,  June  llth. 
(Ne  account  of  laurdei  in  the  thaptej  on  Macon. 


APPENDIX. 


371 


Names. 

Regiment,  or  Command. 

Residence. 

W.  Heffner, 

67th  Pa.  Vols., 

Pottsville,  Pa. 

If.  A.  Hubbell, 

Pa.  Vols., 

Honesdale,  Pa. 

J.  C.  Hagenbach, 

67th  Pa.  Vols., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

J.  Hersh, 

87th  Pa.  Vols. 

J.  Hall, 

87th  Pa.  Vols. 

P.  Uorney, 

110th  O.  Vols. 

T.  J.  Higginson, 

J.  G.  Halleuburg, 

1st  O.  Vols., 

Louisville,  Ky. 

A.  Hauf, 

6th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

H.  H.  Hinds, 

57th  Pa.  Vols., 

Montrose,  Pa 

Thos.  Huggins, 

2d  N.  J.  Cav. 

Eug.  Kepp, 

82d  111.  Vols. 

C.  P.  Ileffley, 

142d  Pa.  Vols., 

Berlin,  Pa. 

J.  M.  Henry, 

154th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Olean,  N.  Y. 

G.  Halpin, 

110th  Pa.  Vols., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

E.  H.  Harkness, 

6th  Pa.  Cav. 

J.  D.  Hatfield, 

63d  111.  Vols. 

A.  W.  Hayes, 

34th  0.  Vols. 

J.  F.  Hammond, 

II.  Hubbard, 

12th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

W.  S.  Hatcher, 

30th  O.  Vols. 

Jno.  J.  Hine, 

100th  O.  Vols. 

M.  B.  Helms, 

1st  Va.  Cav., 

Rosby's  Rock,  W.  Va. 

C.  B.  Hall, 

1st  Va.  Cav. 

Eli  H  olden, 

1st  Va.  Cav. 

Barre,  Vt. 

B.  Howe, 

21st  1  11.  Vols. 

P.  W.  Houlchen, 

16th  U.  S.  Infantry. 

C.  D.  Henry, 

4th  O.  Cav., 

Tiffin  City,  O. 

J.  Harion, 

115th  111.  Vols. 

t\j.  E.  Harrison, 

89th  O.  Vols., 

Higginsport,  O. 

Gto.  Harris, 

79th  Ind.  Vols. 

W.  B.  Hamilton, 

22d  Mich.  Vols., 

Romeo,  Mich. 

S.  S.  Holbruck, 

15th  U.  S.  Infty. 

L.  D.  Henkley, 

10th  Wis.  Vols., 

Wanfrau,  Wis. 

E.  H.  Higly, 

1st  Vt.  Cav., 

Castleton,  Vt. 

W.  M.  Hudson, 

92d  O.  Vols. 

II.  Horway, 

78th  111.  Vols. 

C.  T.  Hall, 

13th  Mich.  Vols.j 

Battle  Creek,  Mich. 

G.  C.  Houston, 

2d  N.  Y.  Cav., 

Concord,  N.  H. 

P.  A.  Hagen, 

7th  Md.  Vols. 

J.  11.  Hutchinson, 

2d  Va.  Cav., 

Pittsburg,  Pa. 

G.  W.  Hale, 

101st  O.  Vols., 

Upper  Sanduslfy,  O. 

R.  Huey, 

2d  E.  Tenn.  Vols. 

W.  P.  Hodge, 

2d  E.  Tenn.  Vols. 

E.  Harbour, 

2d  E.  Tenn.  Vols. 

B.  F.  Harrington, 

18th  Pa.  Cav., 

Waynesburg,  Pa, 

Jas.  Heslit, 

3d  Pa.  Cav., 

Baltimore,  Md. 

Jno.  Hgffman, 

6th  Iowa  Vola. 

\   W.  Hayes, 

6th  Iowa  Vuls. 

APPENDIX. 


Names. 

Regiment,  or  Command. 

Residency 

J.  M.  Ilolloway, 

Cth  Ind.  Yols. 

C.  31.  Hart, 

45th  Pa.  Yols., 

D.  W.  Hicks, 

9th  O.  Cav. 

H.  R.  Ilubbard, 

110th  111.  Yols. 

J.  B.  Helm, 

101st  Pa.  Vols., 

Shellsburg,  Pa. 

S.  W.  Hawkins, 

7th  Teun.  Cav., 

Huntingdon,  Tenn. 

T.  J.  Hustings, 

1.3th  Mass.  Yols., 

"Worcester,  Mass. 

L.  C.  Herrick, 

1st  N.  Y.  Cav., 

Syracuse,  N.  Y. 

S.  Harris, 

5th  Mich.  Cav. 

T.  II.  Heppard, 

101st  Pa.  Yols., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

W.  Hamilton, 
G.  L.  Hastings, 

2d  Mass.  Art'y, 
24th  X.  Y.  Batt'yi 

West  Amefebury,Mass, 
Oswego,  N.  Y. 

C.  G.  Hampton, 

15th  N.  Y.  Cav., 

Brockport,  N.  Y. 

11.  P.  Hoppin, 

2d  Mass.  Art'y, 

Cambridge,  Mass. 

W.  C.  Ilolman, 

9th  Yt.  Yols., 

West  Braintree,  Vt. 

J.  B.  Hill, 

17th  Mass.  Vols., 

Averill,  Mass. 

A.  W.  Hunter, 

2d  U.  S.  Art'y, 

Kew  Hudson,  Mich. 

C.  C.  Huntley,    ' 

10th  111.  Cav., 

Huntley,  111. 

C.  L.  Ir\viu, 

78th  111.  Yols. 

W.  H.  Irwin, 

Iftld  Pa.  Yols., 

Alleghany  City,  Pa. 

H.  H.  James. 

Cth  lud.  Cav., 

Montezuma,  Ind. 

G.  Johnson, 

IGtli  Conn.  Yols., 

Hartford,  Conn. 

J.  P.  Jones, 

65th  O.  Yols., 

Korwalk,  O. 

C.  W.  Jones, 

IGth  Pa.  Cav., 

Duncannbn,  Pa. 

P.  O.  Jones, 

2d  N.  Y.  Cav., 

Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

J.  A.  Jones, 

21st  111.  Yols., 

Olney,  111. 

J.  H.  Jenkins, 

21st  Wis.  Yols., 

Oskosh,  Wis. 

11.  W.  Jackson, 

21st  Wis.  Yols., 

«          « 

T.  W.  Jackson, 

10th  N.  Y.  Cav., 

Wolcott,  N.  Y. 

11.  P.  Jordan, 

9th  Me.  Yols. 

H.  Jones, 

5th  U.  S.  Cav., 

Washington,  D.  C. 

R.  B.  Jones, 

2d  E.  Tenn.  Vols. 

II.  H.  James, 

Cth  Ind.  Cav., 

Montezuma,  Ind. 

John  King, 

5th  111.  Cav. 

Geneva,  111. 

M.  D.  King, 

3d  O.  Yols., 

Barnesville,  O. 

A.  J.  Kuhn, 

5th  Md.  Yols. 

H.  V.  Knight, 

20th  Mich.  Vols., 

Battle  Creek,  Mich. 

J.  S.  Kephart, 

5th  Md.  Cav., 

Franklin,  Ind. 

Jas.  Kerin, 

Cth  U.  S.  Cav., 

Washington,  D.  C. 

J.  B.  King, 

10th  N.  Y.  Car. 

G.  Keyes, 

18th  Conn.  Vols. 

J.  N.  *ibbe, 

18th  Conn.  Yols. 

A.  Kresge, 

C7th  Pa.  Vols. 

R.  A.  Knowles, 

110th  O.  Vols. 

H.  Kendler, 

45th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

M.  Kupp, 

107th  Pa.  Vols. 

Jas.  Kane, 

1.3th  Pa.  Cav. 

R.  C.  Knaggs, 

A.  D.  C., 

Ann  Arbor.  Micb. 

J.  Kunkel, 

45th  N.  Y.  Vols, 

f         *,v*** 

,    APPENDIX. 


873 


Names. 

Regiment,  or  Command. 

Residence. 

J.  TV.  Kennedy, 

134th  X.  Y.  Vols. 

J.  C.  Kellogg, 

6th  Mich.  Vols. 

D.  O.  Kelly, 

100th  O.  Vols., 

Kelly's  Island,  O. 

J.  D.  Kautz, 

1st  Ky.  Cav., 

,Dent,  O. 

T.  A.  Krocks, 

77th  Pa.  Vols. 

T.  D.  Kimball, 

88th  Ind.  Vols., 

Wm.  Keruger, 

2d  Mo.  Vols., 

St.  Louis,  Mo. 

E.  E.  K  noble, 

21st  Ky.  Vols. 

E.  M.  Knowles, 

42d  Ind.  Vols., 

J.  Kenniston, 

100th  111.  Vols., 

Joliet,  111. 

S.  Koach, 

100th  111.  Vols. 

C.  E.  Keith, 

19th  111.  Vols., 

Chicago,  111. 

Theo.  Kendall, 

15th  U.  S.  Infty, 

Brooklyn,  X.  Y. 

H.  B.  Kelly, 

6th  Ky.  Cav. 

D.  F.  Kittrell, 

3d  E.  Tenn.  Vols. 

F.  II.  Knapp, 

9th  O.  Cav. 

W.  M.  Kirby, 

3d  X.  Y.  Art'y. 

T.  King, 

101st  Pa.  Vols., 

Bradford,  Pa. 

W.  II.  H.  Keister, 

103d  Pa.  Vols., 

Hillsville,  Pa. 

J.  B.  Kirk, 

101st  Pa.  Vols., 

«          « 

G.  W.  Kirkpatrick, 

15th  Iowa  Vols., 

Smyrna,  Iowa. 

W.  S.  Lyon, 

23d  O.  Vols., 

Leeville,  O. 

T.  Lennig, 

Gth  Pa.  Cav., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

F.  A.  Leyton, 

18th  Ind.  Vols. 

Sam.  Leith, 

132d  X.  Y.  Vols. 

A.  W.  Loomis, 

18th  Conn.  Vols., 

Tolland,  Conn. 

A.  H.  Lindsay, 

18th  Conn.  Vols., 

Greenville,  Conn. 

L.  Lapton, 

110th  O.  Vols. 

W.  U.  Locke, 

18th  Conn.  Vols., 

"Willimantic,  Conn, 

J.  Leydecker, 

45th  X.  Y.  Vols. 

L.  Lindemeyer, 

45th  X.  Y.  Vols.. 

Xew  York  City. 

II.  G.  Lombard, 

4th  Mich.  Vols. 

W.  L.  Laws, 

18th  Pa.  Vols. 

A.  T.  Lamson, 

104th  X.  Y.  Vols., 

Genesee,  X.  T. 

A.  W.  Locklin, 

94th  X.  Y.  Vols., 

Great  Bend,  X.  Y. 

G.  R.  Lodge, 

63d  111.  Vols., 

Ottawa,  111. 

T.  S.  C.  Lloyd, 

Gth  Ind.  Cav., 

Terre  Haute,  Ind. 

C.  II.  Livingston, 

1st  Va.  Cav., 

Union  Town,  Pa. 

J.  L.  Leslie, 

18th  Pa.  Cav., 

Titusville,  Pa. 

D.  11.  Locke 

8th  Ky.  Cav. 

J.  Ludlow, 

6th  U.  S.  Art'y, 

A.  Leonard, 

71st  X.  Y.  Vols. 

M.  J.  Lintz, 

8th  Tenn.  Vols., 

J.  11.  Longnecker, 

101st  Pa.  Vols., 

TVoodbury,  Pa. 

W.  C.  Lyon, 

23d  O.  Vols., 

Leeville,  O. 

W.  B.  Madera, 

Gth  W.  Va.  Vols., 

Morganstown,  Va. 

H.A.D.  Merritt, 

6th  Xc  Y.  Cav., 

Hoboken,  X.  J. 

O.  McC&lT, 

lOHd  Pa.  Vols., 

Eimersburg,  Pa. 

J.  M.  MvfcTlWj 

101st  I  1.  Vula 

374 


APPENDIX. 


Names. 

Regiment,  or  Commandt 

Residence. 

C.  McIIeury, 

85th  X.  Y.  Vet., 

East  liloomfield,  N.Y. 

TV.  G.  Miller, 

IGth  Conn.  Vols. 

.T.  McKinstry, 

10th  111.  Cav., 

Matoon,  111. 

W.  R.  Moore, 

2d  Md.  Cav., 

Wilmington,  Del. 

N.  J.  McCafferty, 

4th  U.  S.  Art'y, 

Pittsburg,  Pa. 

T.  W.  McClure, 

Cth  U.  S.  Art'y, 

TVabash,  Ind. 

C.  W.  Morse, 

IGth  Conn.  Vols., 

New  Hartford,  Conn. 

Jno.  McAdams, 

10th  Va.  Vols. 

L.  Markbreit, 

A.  D.  C. 

J.McKinley, 

28th  O.  Vols. 

T.  Milward, 

31st  O.  Vols. 

W.  II.  McDill, 

80th  111.  Vols. 

W.  S.  Marshall, 

61st  Ind.  Vols. 

J.  H.  Murdock, 

3d  O.  Vols. 

C.  A.  Maxwell, 

3d  O.  Vols., 

Springfield,  O. 

n.  S.  Murdock; 

73d  Ind.  Vols., 

Logansport,  Ind. 

J.  D.  Munday, 

73d  Ind.  Vols., 

LaPorte,  Ind. 

J.  S.  Mettee, 

5th  Md.  Vols. 

Jno.  McCumas, 

6th  Md.  Vols. 

TV.  J.  Morris, 

6th  Md.  Vols., 

Baltimore,  Md. 

T.  F.  McGinnes, 

18th  Conn.  Vols. 

F.  McKeag^ 

18th  Conn.  Vols., 

Norwich,  Conn. 

II.  Morningstar, 

87th  Pa.  Vols., 

Hanover,  Pa. 

J.  S.  Manning, 

100th  O.  Vols. 

Thos.  Mosby, 

12th  Pa.  Cav. 

TV.  J.  McConneleq 

4th  Iowa  Vols., 

TVintersett,  Iowa. 

D.  McCully, 

75th  O.  Vols. 

O.  Missehl, 

68th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

II.  H.  Mosely, 

25th  O.  Vols., 

Summer-field,  O. 

Thos.  Myers. 

107th  Pa.  Vols., 

Chambersburg,  Pa. 

C.  Murray, 

15th  Mo.  Vols., 

St.  Louis,  Mo. 

B.  N.  Mann, 

17th  Mass.  Vols. 

J.  A.  Mitchell, 

82d  0.  Vols. 

A.  McDade, 

154th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Westfield,  X.  Y. 

J.  A.  Mendenhall, 

75th  O.  Vols., 

Ringgold,  O. 

J.  R.  Meil, 

82d  111.  Vols., 

Deerfield,  O. 

V.  Mylieus, 

68th  N.  Y,  Vola. 

F.  Moran, 

73d  X.  Y.  Vols., 

New  York  City. 

J.  Mooney, 

107th  Pa.  Vols., 

Dushone,  Pa. 

F.  Murphy, 

97th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Salisbury  Centre,  N.Y. 

G.  II  .  Morisey, 

12th  Iowa,  Q.  M. 

II.  E.  Mosher, 

12th  N.  Y.  Cav. 

S.  F.  C.  Merwin, 

18th  Conn.  Vols., 

Norwich,  Conn. 

Thos.  Maver, 

100th  O.  Vols. 

T.  II.  McKee, 

21st  111.  Vols. 

J.  W.  Messick, 

42d  Ind.  Vols., 

Evansville,  Ind. 

D.  F.  McKay, 

18th  Pa.  Vols., 

Meadesville,  Pa. 

A.  M.  Murray, 

U.  S.  Artillery. 

K.  G.  McKay, 

1st  Mich.  Vols., 

Beloit,  Mich. 

APPENDIX. 


375 


Names. 

Regiment,  or  Command. 

Residence. 

Wm.  McElroy, 

3d  111.  Vols. 

N.  S.  McKee, 

21st  111.  Vols. 

J.  Mitchell, 

79th  111.  Vols. 

J.  McGowan, 

29th  Ind.  Vols. 

M.  Mahou, 

10th  U.  S.  Infty. 

J.  T.  Mackey, 

16th  U.  S.  Infty, 

Ballas  City,  111. 

C.  II.  Morgan, 

21st  Wis.  Vols. 

A.  S.  Mathewe, 

22d  Mich.  Vols., 

Pontiac,  Mich. 

J.  S.  Mahony, 

15th  U.  S.  Infty, 

Prairie  Depot,  O. 

S.  McNeal, 

61st  O.  Vols., 

Spring  Mountain,  6. 

L.  C.  Mead, 

22d  Mich.  Vols. 

A.  U.  McLane, 

2d  O.  Vols. 

M.  V.  B.  Morrison, 

32d  O.  Vols., 

Chilicothe,  O. 

A.  H.  McKinson, 

10th  Wis.  Vols., 

Pine  Uill,  Wis. 

W.  II.  Mead, 

6th  Ky.  Cav. 

A.  Morse, 

78th  111.  Vols., 

Macomb,  111. 

A.  Morris, 

4th  Ky.  Cav. 

II  .  Morey, 

10th  N.  Y.  Cav. 

G.  W.  Morse, 

9th  Md.  Vols., 

Lovington,  Tenn. 

H.  F.  Meyer, 
R.  A.  Moon, 

9th  Ind.  Vols. 
6th  Mich.  Cav., 

Big  Rapids,  Mich. 

11.  M.  Moore, 

6th  Mich.  Cav. 

Jno.  Millis, 

6Gth  Ind.  Vols., 

Paoli,  Ind. 

J.  McDonald, 

2d  E.  Tenn.  Vols. 

J.  McColgen, 
D.  T.  Moore, 

7th  O.  Cav., 
2d  E.  Tenn.  Vols., 

Georgetown,  O. 
Clinton,  Tenn. 

j.  U.  Mason, 

21st  O.  Vols. 

J.  McBeth, 

45th  O.  Vols., 

Zanesfield.  O. 

K.  H.  Montgomery, 

5th  U.  S.  Cav. 

F.  Moore, 

73d  Pa.  Vols. 

J.  McGovern, 

73d  Pa.  Vols. 

A.  McNiece, 

73d  Pa.  Vols. 

G.  Maw, 

80th  O.  Vols. 

J.  T.  Morgan, 

17th  Mich.  Vols., 

Yysilanti,  Mich. 

C.  Miller, 

14th  111.  Cav. 

Chicago,  111. 

W.  J.  Nowlan, 

14th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

A.  N.  Norris, 

107th  Pa.  Vols. 

Wm.  Nelson, 

13th  U.  S.  Infantry. 

J.  C.  Norcross, 
J.  F.  Newbrandt, 
Wm.  Nyce, 

2d  Mass.  Cav., 
4th  Mo.  Cav., 
2d  N.  Y.  Cav., 

Farmington,  Me. 
Cincinnati,  O. 
Hainesville,  N.  J. 

B.  H.  Niemeger, 

llth  Ky.  Cav. 

O.  T.  Norris, 

llth  O.  Vols. 

Jas.  O.  Connor, 
O.  C.  Ong, 

59th  O.  Vols. 
2d  Va.  Cav., 

Meigsville,  0. 

W.  O'Conner, 

13th  Pa.  Cav., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

J.  G.  Oats, 

3d  O.  Vols., 

Greenwich,  O. 

G.  W.  Pitts., 

85th  N.  Y.  Vets., 

Short  Tract,  N.  T. 

L.  S.  Peake, 

85th  N.  Y.  Vets., 

Hinsdale,  N.  Y, 

876 


APPENDIX. 


Names. 

Regiment,  or  Command. 

Residence. 

E.  C.  Pierson, 

85th  N.  Y.  Vets., 

Waterloo,  N.  Y. 

W.  Phares, 

46th  W.  Va.  Vols. 

Seneca,  W.  Va. 

F.  Phillips, 

5th  Pa.  Cav., 

I  hiladelphia,  Pa. 

E.  W.  Pelton, 

2d  Md.  Cav., 

Cumberland,  Md, 

E.  W.  Parcey, 

80th  111.  Vols. 

S.  B.  Piper, 

3d  O.  Vols., 

Barnesville,  O. 

G.  A.  Potter, 

2d  Ivy.  Vols., 

Cincinnati,  O. 

J.  B.  Pumphrey, 

123d  O.  Vols., 

Marseilles,  O. 

W.  G.  Purnell, 

6th  Md.  Vols. 

C.  G.  A.  Peterson, 

1st  R.  I.  Cav., 

Providence,  R.  I. 

E.  B.  Parker, 

1st  Vt.  Artillery, 

Providence,  R.  I. 

Henry  S.  Platt, 

llth  Mich.  Vols. 

E.C.Parker, 

94th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

H.  C.  Potter, 

18th  Pa.  Cav., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

T.  Paulding, 

6th  U.  S.  Cav. 

J.  F.  Poole, 

1st  Va.  Cav., 

Martinsburg,  W.  Va. 

J.  L.  Powers, 

107th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

Hamilton.  N.  Y. 

D.  B.  Pettijohn, 

2dU.  S.Infty, 

Fort  Snelling,  Minn. 

G.  H.  Potts, 

75th  O.  Vols. 

C.  P.  Potts, 

151st  Pa.  Vols., 

Pottsville,  Pa. 

E.  D.  Potter, 

6th  Mich.  Vols., 

Jeddo,  Me. 

E.  L.  Palmer, 

57th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Montville,  Conn. 

J.  S.  Paul, 

122d  O.  Vols. 

Z.  R.  Prather, 

116th  111.  Vols. 

G.  Pentzel, 

llth  N.  Y.  Vols. 

Jas.  P.  Perley, 

13th  Mich.  Vols., 

New  York  City. 

H.  Perlen, 

2d  O.  Vols. 

J.  B.  Patterson, 

21st  O.  Cav. 

M.  N.  Paxton, 

140th  Pa.  Vola. 

E.  W.  Pelton, 

2d  Md.  Vols., 

Cumberland,  Md. 

C.  Powell, 

42d  O.  Vols. 

L.  D.  Phelps, 

8th  Pa.  Cav., 

Colchester,  Conn. 

C.  M.  Prutzman, 

7th  Wis.  Vols., 

Plainfield,  Wia. 

A.  E.  Patelin, 

10th  Wis.  Vols. 

M.  B.  Pulliam, 

llth  Ky.  Cav. 

E.  H.  Pond, 

12th  U.  S.  Infantry. 

Wm.  P.  Pierce, 

llth  Ky.  Cav. 

L.  B.  Pettrie, 

126th  O.  Vols. 

Wm.  Randall, 

80th  111.  Vols. 

"1 

Jno.  Ritchie, 

3d  O.  Vols. 

J.  C.  Roney, 

3d  O.  Vols., 

Newark,  O. 

Wm.  Reynolds, 

73d  Ind.  Vols. 

A.  C.  Roach, 

51st  Ind.  Vols., 

Indianapolis,  Ind. 

E.  Reynolds, 

73d  Ind.  Vols. 

E.  Reed, 

3d  O.  Vols. 

J.  M.  Rothrock, 

5th  Md.  Vols. 

J.  P.  Rockwell, 

18th  Conn.  Vols 

J.Ruff, 

67th  Pa.  Vols., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

«T.  F.  Robinson, 

67th  Pa.  Vols., 

Scott,  Pa. 

APPENDIX. 


377 


Names. 

Pediment,  or  Command. 

Residence. 

W.  F.  Randolph, 

5th  U.  S.  Artillery. 

John  Ryan, 

69th  Pa.  Vols. 

W.  E.  Rockwell, 

13th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Esperance,  N.  Y. 

J.  II.  Russell, 

12th  Mass.  Vols., 

Boston.  Mass. 

J.  O.  Rockwell, 

97th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Booneville.  N.  Y. 

J.  A.  Richardson, 

2d  N.  Y.  Cav., 

Stoneham.  Mass. 

N.  A.  Robbins, 

4th  Me.  Vols., 

Union,  Me. 

H.  E.  Rulon, 

114th  Pa.  Vols. 

II.  Richardson, 

19th  Ind.  Vols. 

J.  Ilemie, 

llth  Mass.  Vols.   • 

Geo.  Ring, 

100th  O.  Vols. 

D.  P.  Rennie, 

93d  O.  Vols. 

T.  J.  Ray, 

49th  O.  Vols. 

\V.  L.  Retilley, 

51st  O.  Vols., 

Koscoe,  O. 

G.  W.  Robertson, 

22d  Mich.  Vols., 

Mount  Cheneus,  Mich* 

J.  M.  Rader, 

8th  Tenn.  Vols. 

S.  II.  Reynolds, 

42d  O.  Vols. 

E.  W.  Rubbs, 

1st  E.  Tenn.  Vols. 

G.  F.  Robinson, 

80th  O.  Vols. 

J.  L.  Robinson, 

7th  Tenn.  Cav., 

Huntington,  Pa. 

J.  A.  Reid, 

2d  N.  C.  Vols., 

Whitestown,  Pa. 

I.  Ilisedon, 

llth  Tenn.  Vols., 

Huntsville,  Tenn. 

G.  Roberts, 

7th  N.  H.  Vols., 

Dover,  N.  H. 

G.  Ross, 

7th  Vt.  Vols., 

Vergennes,  Vt. 

J.  R.  Roger, 

157th  Pa.  Vols., 

Lancaster  City,  Pa. 

E.  E.  Strong, 

IGth  Conn.  Vols., 

North  Manchester,  Ct 

K.  B.  Sinclair, 

2d  Mass.  Heavy  Artillery, 

Worcester,  Mass. 

D.  M.  Spence, 

113th  Pa.  Vols., 

Pittsburg,  Pa. 

G.  W.  Stoke, 

103d  Pa.  Vols., 

Orrvillc,  Pa. 

G.  A.  Sharp, 

19th  Pa.  Cav., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

A.  A.  Scudder, 

35th  Pa.  Vols. 

II.  C.  Scoville, 

92d  111.  Vols., 

Kockford,  111. 

L.  S.  Smith, 

Mth  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Littleton,  N.  H. 

D.  J.  Shepherd, 

5th  Ky.  Cav. 

11.  Silver, 

10th  111.  Cav., 

St.  Louis,  Mo. 

G.  Scuttermore, 

80th  111.  Vols. 

Th.  Segaros, 

80th  111.  Vols., 

Chester,  111. 

D.  B.  Stevenson, 

3d  O.  Vols. 

E.  E.  Sharp, 

61st  Ind.  Vols., 

Hokoma,  Ind. 

E.  J.  Spaulding, 

2d  U.  S.  Cav., 

Galesburg,  Mich. 

A.  Stole, 

6th  U.  S.  Infantry. 

L>.  M.  V.  Stuart, 

10th  Mo.  Vols. 

M.  II.  Smith, 

123d  O.  Vols., 

Monroeville,  O. 

T.  II.  Stewart, 

6th  Md.  Vols., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

John  Socks, 

6th  Md.  Vols. 

Jno.  Sweadner, 

6th  Md.  Vols., 

Liberty,  Md. 

J.  F.  Schuyler, 

123d  0.  Vols., 

Attica,  O. 

C.  11.  Sovvro, 

123d  O.  Vols. 

E.  L.  Schroeder,^ 

6th  Md,  Vola., 

York,  Pa. 

878 


APPENDIX. 


Names. 

Regiment,  or  Command. 

Residence. 

G.  W.  Simpson, 

67th  Fa.  Vols., 

Mauch  Chunk,  P*. 

A.  G.  Scranton, 

18th  Conn.  Vols. 

J.  Smith, 

67th  Pa.  Vols., 

Latrobe,  Pa. 

C.  P.  Stroman, 

87th  Pa.  Yols., 

York,  Pa. 

A.M.  Stark, 

110th  O.  Vols. 

H.  L.  Sibley, 

-    110th  O.  Vols., 

Racine,  O. 

S.  Stearns, 

4th  Me.  Vols. 

G.  L.  Synder, 

104th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

A.  W.  Sprague, 

24th  Mich.  Vols. 

Geo.  Schuele, 

45th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

II.  B.  Seeley, 

86th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

S.  Troupsburg,  N.  T. 

\V.  S.  Stevens,* 

104th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

E.  Schrouders, 

74th  Pa.  Vols. 

G.  C.  Stevens, 

154th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Machias,  N.  Y. 

D.  C.  Sears, 

96th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

H.  Schroeder, 

82d  111.  Vols. 

J.  B.  Samson, 

12th  Mass.  Vols., 

W.Bridgewater.Mast 

Jno.  Sullivan, 

7th  R.  I.  Vols. 

M.  R.  SmaU, 

6th  Md.  Vols. 

E.  Shepard, 

6th  O.  Cav. 

Newburg,  O. 

J.  M.  Steele, 

1st  W.  Va.  Vols., 

Wellsville,  O. 

C.  B.  Smith, 

4th  N.  Y.  Cav., 

New  York  City. 

Jno.  Sterling, 

3d  Ind.  Vols. 

F.  Spencer, 

17th  O.  Vols., 

Wilmington,  O. 

A.  W.  Songer, 

21st  111.  Vols., 

Xenia,  O. 

Win.  Stewart, 

16th  U.  S.  Infantry. 

W.  H.  Smythe, 

16th  U.  S.  Infantry. 

J.  D.  Simpson, 

10th  Ind.  Vols. 

F.  Schweinfurth, 

24th  111.  Vols., 

Chicago,  111. 

A.  C.  Spafford,* 

21st  O.  Vols. 

E.  G.  Spalding, 

22d  Mich.  Vols., 

Port  Huron,  M.ch. 

E.  S.  Scott, 

89th  O.  Vols. 

A.C.-Shaeffer, 

2d  N.  Y.  Cav., 

Newton,  N.  J. 

H.  C.  Smith, 

2d  Del.  Vols. 

Jno.  Spindler, 

73d  111.  Vols. 

G.  L.  Sellers, 

9th  Md.  Vols. 

L.  L.  Stone, 

Regtl.  Q.  M. 

Mt.  Indus  Falls,  Vt. 

R.  F.  Scott, 

llth  Ky.  Cav., 

Kirksville,  Ky. 

J.  C.  Shaw, 

7th  O.  Cav. 

G.  W.  Sutherland, 

126th  O.  Vols., 

Smithfield,  O. 

T.  B.  Strong, 

llth  Ky.  Cav., 

Louisville,  Ky. 

Chas  Trommel, 

3d  O.  Vols. 

H.  H.  Tillotson, 

73d  Ind.  Vols., 

Calumet,  Ind. 

A.  V.  Thomas, 

73d  Ind.  Vols. 

D.  Turmer, 

118th  111.  Vols., 

"Warsaw,  ID. 

Ira  Tyler, 

118th  111.  Vols. 

M.  Tiffany, 

18th  Conn.  Vols. 

H.  O.  Thayer, 

67th  Pa.  Vola. 

A..  A.  Taylor, 

122d  O.  Vols., 

Cambridge,  O. 

APPENDIX.     , 

379 

Fames. 

Regiment,  or  Command. 

Residence. 

R.  Tyler, 

6th  Md.  Vols. 

\ 

R.  Thompson, 

67th  Pa.  Vols., 

Stoddardsville,  Pa. 

L.  Thompson, 

2d  U.  S.  Cav. 

H.  Tower, 

13th  Mass.  Vols. 

E.  A.  Tuthill, 

104th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Nunda,  N.  Y. 

J.  R.  Titus, 

3d  U.  S.  Cav. 

H.  Temple, 

2d  N.  Y.  Cav., 

Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

E.  M.  B.  Timoney, 

15th  U.  S.  Infantry. 

G.  W.  Thomas, 

10th  Wis.  Vols. 

H.  C.  Taylor, 

21st  Wis.  Vols. 

A.  J.  Teter, 

2d  O.  Vols., 

Steubenville,  O. 

R.  F.  Thorn, 
8.  H.  Tresouthick, 

5th  Ky.  Cav., 
18th  Pa.  Cav. 

Gardner,  Kansas. 

J.  Turner, 

Regtl.  Q.  M. 

H.  Taylor, 

65th  Ind.  Vols. 

J.  E.  Terwilliger, 

85th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Almond,  N.  Y. 

W.  M.  True, 

16th  111.  Cav., 

Chicago,  111. 

A.  J.  W.  Ulem, 

3d  O.  Vols., 

Wooster,  O. 

J.  R.  Uptigrove, 

73d  Ind.  Vols. 

M.  Undutch, 

9th  Md.  Vols. 

F.  Vinay, 

85th  N.  Y.  Vola. 

New  York  City. 

G.  A.  Vanness, 
Geo.  Veltford, 
R.  N.  Vannetter, 

73d  Ind.  Vols., 
54th  N.  Y.  Vols., 
1st  Mich.  Cav. 

Nogausport,  Ind. 
New  York  City. 

D.  Vansbury, 

4th  Md.  Battalion, 

T).  L.  Wright, 

61st  Ind.  Vols., 

Indianapolis,  Ind. 

A.  II.  Wonder, 

61st  Ind.  Vols. 

Wm.  Willis, 

51st  Ind.  Vols. 

J.  D.  Whiting, 
A.  R.  Wolbach, 

3d  O.  Vols., 
3d  O.  Vols., 

New  York  City. 
Wooster,  O. 

J.  C.  Woodrow, 

73d  Ind.  Vols. 

C.  P.  Williams, 

73d  Ind.  Vols. 

J.  B.  AVilliamson, 

14th  W.  Va.  Vols. 

Middlebourne,  W.  Va, 

Jos.  F.  Warwick, 

101st  Pa.  Vols., 

Beaver,  Pa. 

J.  C.  Welch, 

85th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Angelica,  N.  Y. 

J.  J.  Wallace, 
R.  P.  Wallace, 

7th  Tenn.  Cav., 
120th  O.  Vols., 

Dowagiac,  Mich. 
Loudonville,  O. 

Thos.  Worthen, 

118th  111.  Vols., 

Warsaw,  111. 

L.  Weiser, 

1st  Md.  Cav. 

Wm.  A.  Williams, 

123d  O.  Vols. 

J.  W.  Worth, 

5th  Md.  Vols., 

Baltimore,  Md. 

J.  B.  Wilson, 

5th  Md.  Vols. 

J.  E.  Woodard, 

18th  Conn.  Vols, 

P.  A.  White, 

83d  Pa.  Vols. 

E.  J.  Weeks, 

67th  Pa.  Vols., 

Phoenixville,  Pa. 

T.  J.  Weakley, 

110th  O.  Vols., 

New  Carlisle,  O. 

W.  H.  Welsh, 

78th  Pa.  Vols., 

York,  Pa. 

A.  Wallber, 

26th  Wis.  Vols 

A.  11.  White, 

27th  Pa,  Vols. 

380 


APPENDIX 


Names, 

Regimenf,  or  Command. 

residence. 

D.  WListon. 

13th  Mass.  Vols. 

T.  Wuschow, 

54th.  N.  Y.  Yols. 

M.  C.  Wadsworth, 

16th  Me.  Vols., 

Pitts'  on,  Me. 

J.N.Whitney, 

2d  It.  I.  Cav., 

Raynond,  Me. 

M.  T.  Williams, 

15th  Ky.  Yols. 

. 

M.  Wilson, 

14th  Pa.  Cav. 

J.  Woods, 

82d  Ind.  Yols. 

C.  N.  Winner, 

1st  O.  Yols. 

W.  L.  Watson, 

21st  Wis.  Yols., 

Wanpaca,  Wis. 

Wm.  Willotts, 

22d  Mich.  Yols., 

Birmingham,  Mich. 

J.  Weatberbee, 

51st  O.  Vols., 

Port  Washington,  O. 

J.  M.  Was  son, 

40th  O.  Vols. 

Jas.  Wells, 

8th  Mich.  Cav. 

11.  Wilson, 

18th  Pa.  Yols., 

Houston,  Pa. 

J.  It.  Weaver, 

18th  Pa.  Vols., 

Latrobe,  Pa. 

W.  H.  H.  Wilcox, 

10th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

New  York  City. 

A.  B.  White, 

4th  Pa.  Cav., 

AJleghany  City,  Pa. 

C.  F.  Weston, 

21st  Wis.  Vola. 

W.  F.  Wheeler,     . 

9th  Md.  Vols. 

N.  L.  Wood,  Jr., 

9th  Md.  Vols. 

E.  Willhart, 

2d  E.  Tenn. 

J.  W.  Wiltshire, 

45th  O.  Vols., 

Cincinnati,  O. 

J.  W.  Wright, 

10th  Iowa  Vols., 

Desmoines,  Iowa. 

J.  B.  Williamson, 

14th  W.  Va.  Vols., 

Middlebourne,  W.  V* 

E.  D.  York, 

2d  N.  C.  U.  Vola., 

Friendship,  N.  Y. 

C.  H.  Yates, 

96th  111.  Vols. 

J.  D.  Zeigler, 

114th  111.  Vols. 

APPENDIX. 


881 


ADDITIONAL  LIST  OF  PRISONERS.* 


[The  following  is  an  additional  list  of  officers  captured  during  the  spring, 
Bummer,  autumn,  and  winter  of  1864,  after  the  removal  of  the  old  prisoners 
from  Richmond  on  the  7th  of  May.  They  were  imprisoned  at  Macon,  Savan 
nah,  Charleston,  Columbia,  Charlotte,  Raleigh,  and  Goldsboro' :] 


Names. 

J.  H.  Ashworth, 
T.  H.  Butler, 
S.  J.  Crooks, 
J.  Frazier, 
Pennock  Huey, 
F.  C.  Miller, 
W.  Shedd, 
Daniel  White, 


SI.  P.  Buffum, 
J.  B.  Conyngham, 
C.  W.  Clancy, 
M.  A.  Leeds, 

C.  C.  Watson, 

D.  B.  McCreary, 
O.  Moulton, 
Benj.  B.  Morgan, 
II.  R.  Stoughton, 
A.  II.  Sanders, 
T.  J.  Thorp, 

G.  Von  IJelmrick, 
G.  Wallace, 


J.  H.  Dewees, 
M.  Dunn, 
W.  N.  Denny, 


COLONELS. 

Regiment,  or  Command. 
1st  Ga.  U.  S.  Vols. 
5th  Ind.  Cav., 
22d  N.  Y.  Cav., 
140th  Pa.  Vols. 
8th  Pa.  Cav., 
147th  N.  Y.  Vols., 
13th  111.  Vols., 
31st  Me.  Vols., 

LIEUTENANT  COLONELS. 

4th  R.  I.  Vols., 
52d  Pa.  Vols. 
62d  O.  Vols., 
153d  O.  Vols., 
6th  Ind.  Cav., 
145th  Pa.  Vols., 
25th  Mass.  Vols. 
75th  O.  Vols., 
2dU.  S.  S.S. 
16th  Iowa  Vols.. 
1st  N.  Y.  Drag., 
4th  Mo.  Cav., 
47th  O.  Vols., 

MAJORS. 

13th  Pa.  Cav., 
19th  Mass.  Vols. 
61st  Ind.  Vols., 


Residence. 

Clifty,  Ind. 
New  York  City. 

Westchester,  Pa, 
Oswego,  N.  Y. 
Aledo,  111. 
Bangor,  Me. 


Providence,  R.  I. 

Smithfield,  O. 
Bantam,  O. 
Greencastle,  Ind. 
Erie,  Pa. 

Franklin,  O. 

Davenport,  Iowa. 
Almond,  N.  Y. 
St.  Louis,  Mo. 
Morning  Sun,  O. 


Philadelphia,  Pa. 
Vincennes,  Ind. 


•ThU  list  does  not  include  those  officers  who  were  specially  ecchanged  while  at  Charl 

16 


382 


APPENDIX. 


Names. 

Pegiment,  or  Command. 

Residence. 

D.  English, 

lltn  Ky.  Cav., 

Owening,  Ky. 

C.  K.  Fleinming; 

llth  Vt.  Vols., 

Bellows  Falls,  Vt. 

G.  B.  Fox, 

75th  O.  Vols., 

Cincinnati,  O. 

W.  H.  Forbes, 

2d  Mass.  Car. 

J.  II.  Filler, 

65th  Pa.  Vols., 

Bedford,  Pa. 

T.  J.  Hasley, 

llth  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Dover,  N.  J. 

W.  P.  Hall, 

6th  N.  Y.  Cav., 

Brooklyn,  L.  I. 

K.  Harkness, 

10th  Wis.  Vols., 

Elkhorn,  "Wis. 

J.  H.  Isett, 

8th  Ind.  Cav., 

Wappello,  Iowa. 

W.  M.  Kendall, 

73d  Ind.  Vols., 

Plymouth,  Ind. 

C.  M.  Lynch, 

145th  Pa.  Vols., 

Erie,  Pa. 

r.  M.  Lernan, 

22d  N.  Y.  Cav., 

Memphis,  N.  Y. 

C.  P.  Mattock, 

17th  Me.  Vols. 

P.  Nelson, 

66th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Westchester,  N.  Y. 

J.  E.  Pratt, 

4th  Vt.  Vols., 

Bennington,  Vt. 

W.  L.  Parsons, 

2d  Wis.  Vols. 

H.  L.  Pasco, 

16th  Conn.  Vols., 

Hartford,  Conn. 

D.  Quigg, 

14th  111.  Cav., 

Bloomington,  111. 

W.  H.  Reynolds, 

14th  N.  Y.  Artillery, 

Utica,  N.  Y. 

J.  Steele, 

2d  Pa.  Cav., 

Pittsburg,  Pa. 

L.  B.  Speece, 

7th  P.  V.  R.  Corps, 

Wilkesbarre,  Pa. 

T.  A.  Smith, 

7th  Tenn.  Cav., 

Lexington,  Tenn. 

M.  H.  Soper, 

5th  Ind.  Cav., 

Sheldon,  111. 

D.  Thomas, 

135th  O.  Vola., 

Newark,  O. 

D.  Viekers, 

4th  N.  J.  VOIB., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

G.  G.  Wanger, 

24th  N.  Y.  Cav., 

Rochester,  N.  Y. 

J.  W.  Young, 

76th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Cherry  Valley,  N.  Yt 

J.  B.  Alters, 
W.  N.  Algbaugh, 
H.  B.  Andrews, 
John  Aigan, 
M.  Auer, 
C.  B.  Amory, 
James  Belger, 
C.  H.  Burdick, 
G.  Bradley, 
C.  W.  Boutin, 
C.  A.  Bowen, 
B.  Bennett, 
N.  Bostwick, 
J.  F.  Benson, 
B.  C.  Beebe, 
A.  N.  Benson, 
E.  A.  Burpee, 
J.  W.  Bryant, 
H.  Biebel, 


CAPTAINS. 

75th  O.  Vols., 
51st  Pa.  Vols., 
17th  Mich.  Vols. 
6th  R.  I.  Artillery, 
15th  N.  Y.  Cav., 
A.  A.  Gen., 
1st  R.  I.  Artillery. 
1st  Tenn.  Cav., 
2d  N.  J.  Vols. 
4th  Vt.  Vols., 
18th  Conn.  Vols. 
22d  N.  Y.  Cav., 
20th  O.  Vols. 
120th  111.  Vols., 
13th  Ind.  Vols., 
1st  D.  C.  Cav. 
19th  Me.  Vols., 
5th  N.  Y.  Cav., 
6th  Conn.  Vols.. 


Spring  Dale,  O. 
Morristown,  Pa. 

Pawtucket,  R.  I. 
Syracuse,  N.  Y. 
Jamaica  Plain,  Mass. 

Nashville,  Tenn. 
Chester,  Vt. 
Hammondsport,  N.  T( 

Vienna,  111. 
Seneca  Falls,  N.  Y. 

Rockland,  Me. 
Washington,  D.  C. 
Bridgeport,  Conn. 


APPENDIX. 


383 


Names. 

Regiment,  or  Command. 

Residence. 

J.  A.  Barrett, 

7th  Pa.  R.  C., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

G.  A.  Bayard, 

148th  Pa.  Vols. 

Geo.  A.  Blanchard, 

85th  111.  Vols., 

Havanna,  111. 

S.  Bremen, 

3d  Mich.  Vols., 

Georgetown,  Mich. 

A.  T.  Bliss, 

10th  N.  Y.  Cav., 

Peterboro',  N.  Y. 

H.  D.  Baker, 

120th  111.  Vols., 

Golconda,  111. 

W.  F.  Bennett. 

39th  Iowa  Vols., 

Osceola,  Iowa. 

J.  H.  Brown, 

17th  Iowa  Vols., 

Desmoines,  Iowa. 

S.  D.  Barnum, 

23dU.  S.C.  T., 

North  Rome,  Pa. 

W.  F.  Baker, 

-     87th  Pa.  Vols., 

Gettysburg,  Pa. 

H.  H.  Burbank, 

32d  Me.  Vols., 

Limerick,  Me. 

O.  E.  Bartlett, 

31st  Me.  Vols., 

Showhegan,  Me. 

J.  T.  Chalfant, 

llth  Pa.  Vols., 

Pittsburg,  Pa. 

C.  II.  Call, 

29th  111.  Vols., 

Inkster,  Mich. 

J.  D.  Clyde, 

76th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Cherry  Valley,  N.  Y. 

C.  R.  Chauncey, 

34th  Mass.  Vols., 

Westfield,  Mass. 

A.  F.  Cole, 

69th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Lowville,  N.  Y. 

J.  P.  Carr, 

93d  Ind.  Vols., 

Austin,  Ind. 

H.  P.  Cooke, 

A.  A.  Gen., 

Deckartown,  N.  J. 

T.  B.  Camp, 

62d  Pa.  Vols., 

Camptown,  Pa. 

L.  S.  Clark, 

62d  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Saratoga,  Sp's,  N.  T. 

H.  C.  Chapin, 

4th  Vt.  Vols. 

Elmira,  N.  Y. 

F.  S.  Case, 

2dO.Cav., 

Wellington,  O. 

T.  Coglin, 

14th  N.  Y.  Heavy  Aty, 

Rochester,  N.  Y. 

J.  W.  Colville, 

5th  Mich.  Vols., 

East  Saginaw,  Mich. 

L.  M.  Carpcrts, 

18th  Wis.  Vols. 

E.  N.  Carpenter, 

6th  Pa.  Cav., 

Germantown,  Pa. 

M.  W.  Clark, 

llth  Iowa  Cav., 

Columbus  City,  Iowa. 

E,  S.  Daniels, 

35th  y.  S.  C.  T., 

Old  Cambridge,  Mass. 

C.  C.  Dodge, 

20th  Mich.  Vols., 

Marshall,  Mich. 

O.  J.  Downing, 

2d  N.  Y.  Cav., 

Long  Island,,  N.  Y. 

J.  G.  Derrickson, 

66th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

New  York  City. 

J.  B.  Dennis, 

7th  Conn.  Vols. 

T.  F.  Davenport, 

75th  O.  Vols. 

C.  Z.  Dirlan, 

12th  O.  Vols., 

Clyde,  O. 

"W.  Dusbrow, 

40th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

New  York  City. 

A.  Duzenburgh, 

35th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

E.  B.  Doane, 

8th  O.  Cav., 

Salem,  Iowa. 

W.  H.  Davis, 

4th  Md.  Vols., 

Baltimore,  Md. 

G.  B.  Douohey, 

7th  Pa.  Res. 

L.  B.  Davis, 

03d  Ind.  Vols., 

Patriot,  Ind. 

E.  C.  Dicey, 

1st  Mich.  S.  S., 

Detroit,  Mich. 

J.  Dibuler, 

45th  Pa.  Vols., 

Bainbridge,  Pa. 

S.  S.  Elder, 

1st  U.  S.  Art. 

B.  W.  Evans, 

4th  O.  Cav., 

Kirkersville,  O. 

H.  Eagan, 

15th  W.  Va.  Vols. 

N.  C.  Evans, 

184th  Pa.  Vols., 

Rainsburg,  Pa. 

W.  V.  Farr, 

106th  Pa.  Vols. 

E.  W.  Ford, 

9th  Minn.  Vols., 

Austin,  Minn 

384 


APPENDIX. 


Names. 

Regiment,  or  Command. 

Residence. 

J.  W.  Funk, 

89th  N.  Y.  Yols., 

New  York  City, 

W.  M.  Fisk, 

73d  N.  Y.  Vols., 

J.  L.  Francis, 

135th  O.  Vols. 

D.  Flamsburg, 

4th  Ind.  Battalion. 

J.  Fiedler, 

Eng.  R.  C.  U.  S.  A. 

J.  P.  Fall, 

82d  Me.  Vols., 

South  Berwick  Me. 

W.  W.  Fay, 

66th  Mass.  Vols. 

J.  B.  Gillespie, 

120th  111.  Vols., 

Vienna,  Til. 

E.  C.  Gilbert, 

152d  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Butternuts,  N.  Y. 

A.  W.  H.  Gill, 

14th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

E.  Grant, 

1st  Vt.  Cav. 

E.  H.  Green, 

107th  Pa.  Vols., 

Maytown,  Pa. 

A.  Grant, 

19th  Wis.  Vols. 

A.  L.  Goodrich, 

8th  N.  Y.  Cav., 

Churchville,  N.  Y. 

J.  L.  Galloway, 

A.  A.  G. 

Pensacola,  Fla. 

J.  L.  Green, 

A.  A.  G.  U.  S.  A., 

Monroe,  Mich. 

C.  Gutjahr, 

16th  111.  Vols. 

P.  Grayhaur, 

54th  Pa.  Vols., 

Johnstown,  Pa. 

H.  B.  Huff, 

184th  Pa.  Vols., 

Altoona,  Pa. 

W.  R.  Hitt, 

13th  111.  Cav., 

Urbana,  O. 

W.  Harris, 

24th  Mo.  Cav., 

Mount  Vernon,  Mo. 

C.  A.  Hobbie, 

17th  Conn.  Vols., 

Stamford,  Conn. 

T.  A.  Heer, 

28th  O.  Vols., 

Tell  City,  Ind. 

G.  D.  Hart, 

6th  Pa.  Cav. 

H.  B.  Hoyt, 

140th  N.  Y.  Inf  y, 

Rochester,  N.  Y. 

D.  J.  Hume, 

19th  Mass.  Vols., 

Boston,  Mass. 

R.  C.  Hutchinson, 

8th  Mich.  Vols. 

C.  W.  Hastings, 

12th  Mass.  Vols. 

E.  Hayes, 

95th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Sing  Sing,  N.  Y. 

M.  C.  Hobart, 

7th  Wis.  Vols., 

Fall  River,  Wis. 

J.  A.  Hayden, 

llth  P.  R.  V.  C., 

Union  Town,  Pa. 

W.  L.  Hodge, 

120th  111.  Vols., 

Golconda,  111. 

H.  A.  Haines, 

184th  Pa.  Vois. 

J.  B.  Heltermus, 

18th  Ky.  Vols. 

S.  Hymer, 

115th  111.  Vols., 

Rushville,  111. 

P.  Heinrod, 

105th  O.  Vols., 

Waterford,  Pa. 

F.  W.  Heck, 

2d  Md.  Vols., 

Baltimore,  Md. 

V.  H.  Hill, 

2d  Md.  Vols., 

Manchester,  N.  H. 

A.  J.  Holmes, 

37th  Wis.  Vols. 

L.  Ingledew, 

7th*Mich.  Vols., 

Janesville,  Wis. 

B.  A.  Jobe, 

llth  Pa.  R.  V.  C., 

Salem  Cross  R'ds,  Pa, 

D.  Jones, 

14th  N.  Y.  Artillery, 

Utica,  N.  Y. 

S.  C.  Jones, 

7th  N.  Y.  Artillery. 

S.  C.  Judson, 

100th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Ogdensburg,  N.  Y. 

H.  Jenkins, 

40th  Mass.  Vols. 

C.  G.  Jackson, 

84th  Pa.  Vols., 

Berwick,  Pa. 

J.  D.  Johnson, 

10th  N.  J.  Vols., 

Hamisports,  N.  J. 

J.  G.  Kessler, 

2d  Ind.  Cav. 

G.  E.  King, 

103d  111.  Vols., 

Middleport,  HI. 

APPENDIX. 


385 


Names. 

Regiment,  or  Command. 

Residence. 

P.  T>.  Kenyon, 

15th  111.  Battalion, 

Mt.  Carroll,  Ind. 

F.  Ken  field, 

17th  Vt.  Vols., 

Morristown,  Vt. 

W.  S.  Logan, 

7th  Mich.  Vols., 

Richland,  Mich. 

,T.  S.  Little, 

143d  Pa.  Vols., 

Nicholson,  Pa. 

C.  W.  Lyttle, 

145th  Pa.  Vols., 

G.  Law, 

6th  W.  Va.  Cav., 

Ellenboro',  W.  Va. 

E.  C.  Latimer, 

27th  U.  S.  C.  T., 

Canton,  O. 

W.  W.  McCarty, 

18th  O.  Vols., 

McConnellsville,  O. 

J.  W.  Morton, 

4th  Mass.  Cav. 

J.  W.  McHugh, 

69th  Pa.  Vols., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

W.  M.  McFadden, 

69th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

H.  McCray, 

115th  Pa.  Vols. 

J.  May, 

15th  Mass.  Artillery. 

N.  H.  Moors, 

7th  N.  Y.  Artillery, 

Albany,  N.  Y. 

S.  F.  Murray, 

2dU.  S.  S.  S., 

Candia,  N.  H. 

L.  Maish, 

87th  Pa.  Vols. 

A.  C.  Mattison, 

12th  N.  J.  Vols. 

J.  Metzger, 

65th  Pa.  Vola. 

LeRoy  Moore, 

72d  O.  Vols., 

Fremont,  O. 

S.  M.  Morgan, 

A.  A.  Gen., 

Lindy,  N.  Y. 

H.  T.  Merrill, 

4th  Ivy.  Vols. 

M.  McGraylis, 

93d  Ind.  Vols. 

H.  J.  McDonald, 

llth  Conn., 

Kingston,  N.  J. 

M.  Melkhhorn, 

135th  O.  Vols., 

Ada,0. 

J.  A.  Manley, 

64th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

A.  G.  Mudgett, 

llth  Me.  Vols., 

Newburg,  Me. 

K.  J.  McWitt, 

1st  Pa.  Cav., 

Milroy,  Pa. 

Mclntyre, 

15th  Wis.  Vols. 

L.  Moore, 

72d  O.  Vols., 

Fremont,  O. 

K.  J.  Millard, 

2d  Pa.  Artillery, 

Towersville,  Pa. 

J.  H.  Nutting, 

27th  Mass.  Vols. 

L.  Nolan, 

2d  Del.  Vols. 

C.  H.  Nichols, 

6th  Conn.  Vols. 

E.  E.  Norton, 

24th  Mich.  Vols. 

Detroit,  Mich. 

W.  H.  Nash, 

IstU.  S.S.  S., 

New  York  City. 

E.  Newsome, 

81st  111.  Vols., 

Carbondale,  111. 

A.  Nuhfer, 

72d  O.  Vols., 

Woodville,  O. 

C.  Newlin, 

7th  Pa.  Cav. 

J.  Norris, 

2d  Pa.  Artillery, 

Washington,  D.  C. 

C.  S.  Noyse, 

31st  Me.  Vols., 

Mt.  Desert,  Me. 

H.  ^.  Ogan, 

14th  O.  Vols. 

H.  V.  Pemberton, 

14th  N.  Y.  Artillery, 

New  York  City. 

J.  Parker, 

1st  N.  J.  Vols., 

Trenton,  N.  J. 

J.  P.  Powell, 

140th  N.  Y.  Yols., 

Clinton,  N.  Y. 

L.  B.  Paine, 

121st  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Garratsville,  N.  Y. 

J.  T.  Piggott,  Jr., 

8th  Pa.  Cav., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

W.  13.  Plase, 

87th  U.  S.  Infty., 

Dayton,  O. 

D.  H.  Powers, 

6th  Mich.  Cav. 

A.  C.  Paul, 

A.  A.  Gen., 

Newport,  Ky. 

386 


APPENDIX. 


Names. 

Eegiment,  or  Command. 

Residence. 

G.  Pettit, 

120th  M".  Y.  Vols., 

Lexington,  N.  Y. 

D.  B.  Pendleton, 

5th  Mich.  Cav., 

Detroit,  Mich. 

D.  M.  Porter, 

120th  111.  Vols. 

S.  C.  Pierce, 

3d  X.  Y.  Cav., 

Rochester,  N.  Y. 

B.  B.  Porter, 

10th  X.  Y.  Artillery, 

Taylor,  N.  Y. 

J.  A.  Paine, 

2d  Ind.  Cav. 

Bridgetown,  Ind. 

T.  Ping, 

17th  Iowa  Vols., 

Ashland,  Iowa. 

J.  Rourke, 

1st  111.  Artillery, 

Milwaukee,  Mich. 

H.  Patter, 

52d  X.  Y.  Vols., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

W.  J.  Reynolds, 

75th  O.  Vols. 

A.  C.  Rosencranz, 

4th  Ind.  Cav., 

Evansville,  Ind. 

Reed, 

107th  X.  Y.  Vols. 

R.  C.  Richards, 

45th  Pa.  Vols., 

Ontario,  N.  Y. 

W.  J.  Reynolds, 

4th  R.  I.  Vols., 

Wickford,  R.  I. 

Geo.  W.  Reir, 

107th  X.  Y.  Vols. 

C.  Robinson, 

31st  U.  S.  C.  T.  . 

J.  Snyder, 

14th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Heuvelton,  N.  Y. 

G.  F.  C.  Smart, 

145th  Pa.  Vols., 

West  Greenville,  Pa. 

H.  J.  Smith, 

63d  Pa.  Vols., 

Huntingdon,  Pa. 

D.  Schooley, 

2d  Pa.  Artillery, 

Pittston,  Pa. 

H.  W.  Strang, 

30th  111.  Vols., 

Collins  Station,  HI. 

J.  H.  Smith, 

16th  Iowa  Vols., 

Lyons,  Iowa. 

A.  S.  Skilton, 

67th  O.  Vols. 

W.  Shuttz, 

37th  O.  Vols., 

Toledo,  O. 

A.  B.  Smith, 

48th  111.  Vols. 

R.  R.  Swift, 

27th  Mass.  Vote., 

Springfield,  Mass. 

S.  A.  Spencer, 

82d  Ind.  Vols. 

J.  E.  Stevens, 

40th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Brooklyn,  X.  Y. 

E.  J.  Swan, 

76th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Cherry  Valley,  N.  Y. 

E.  Schofield, 

llth  Pa.  V.  R.  C. 

Brookville,  Pai 

C.  B.  Sutclier, 

16th  111.  Vols. 

E.  Shurtz, 

8th  Iowa  Cav. 

M.  L.  Stansbury 

95th  O.  Vols. 

J.  G.  Snodgrass, 

110th  O.  Vols., 

Xew  Madison,  O, 

H.  R.  Sargent, 

32d  Me.  Vols., 

Portland,  Me. 

S.  U.  Sherman, 

4th  R.  I.  Vols., 

Providence,  R.  I. 

R.  T.  Stewart, 

138th  Pa.  Vols., 

Morristown,  Pa. 

D.  W.  Scott, 

23d  U.  S.  C.  T., 

Pottsville,  Pa. 

L.  D.  C.  Tvler, 

106th  Pa.  Vols., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

S.  C.  Timbson, 

95th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

New  York  City, 

H.  Tilbrand, 

4th  N.  H.  Vols. 

J.  H.  Turner, 

16th  Iowa  Vols., 

Muscatine,  Iowa. 

H.  G.  Tibbies, 

12th  O.  Vols., 

Dayton,  O. 

J.  Thomson, 

4th  O.  Cav. 

-C.  L.  Unthank, 

llth  Ky.  Cav. 

H.  A.  Uffar, 

A.  A.  Gen. 

J.  W.  Underwood, 

57th  O.  Vols. 

A.  Von  Reiser, 

30th  N.  Y.  Battery. 

Z.  Vaughn, 

1st  Me.  Cav., 

Freeman,  Me. 

APPENDIX. 


387 


Names. 

Regiment,  or  Command. 

Residence. 

A.  Von  Haack, 

68th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

J.  II.  West, 

llth  Ky.  Vols. 

E.  T.  Wyman, 

, 

Augusta,  Me. 

W.  Washburn, 

35th  Mass.  Vols., 

Boston,  Mass. 

A.  R.  Willis, 

8th  Me.  Vols., 

Biddoford,  Me. 

U.  S.  Westbrook, 

135th  O.  Vols., 

Zanesville,  O. 

B.  F.  Wright, 

"  146th  N.  Y.Vols., 

Utica,  N.  Y. 

W.  M.  Wilson,  Jr., 

122d  O.  Vols., 

Zanesville,  O. 

H.  B.  Waketield, 

65th  Ind.  Vols., 

Azailia,  Ind. 

G.  Webb, 

2d  Pa.  Artillery, 

Murcy,  Pa. 

J.  Wilson, 

57th  O.  Vols. 

R.  Williams, 

12th  0-  Vols., 

Dayton,  O. 

M.  Wiley, 

1st  Tenn.  Vols. 

E.  B.  Whittaker, 

72d  Pa.  Vols. 

R.  J.  Wright, 

6th  O.  Vols., 

Springfield,  O. 

H.  H.  Walpole, 

122d  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Syracuse,  N.  Y. 

M.  W.  Wall, 

69tb  N.  Y.  Vols. 

D.  G.  Young, 

81st  111.  Vols., 

De  Soto,  111. 

F.  K.  Zarracher, 

18th  Pa.  Cav., 

Philadelphia,  Pa, 

LIEUTENANTS. 

J.  G.  B.  Adams, 

19th  Mass.  Vols., 

Groveland,  Mass. 

E.  P.  Alexander, 

26th  Mich.  Vols., 

Detroit,  Mich. 

H.  M.  Anderson, 

3d  Me.  Vols. 

J.  F.  Anderson, 

2d  Pa.  Artillery, 

Philadelphia,  Pa, 

A.  L.  Abbey, 

8th  Mich.  Cav., 

Armada,  Mich. 

A.  O.  Abbott, 

1st  N.  Y.  Dragoons, 

Almond,  N.  Y. 

A.  S.  Appleget, 

2d  N.  J.  Cav., 

Hightstown,  Pa. 

Robert  Allen, 

2d  N.  J.  Dragoons. 

G.  A.  Austin, 

14th  111.  Bat., 

Woodstock,  111. 

G.  C.  AMen, 

112th  111.  Vols., 

Annawan,  111. 

W.  C.  Adams, 

2d  Ky.  Cav., 

Star  Furnace,  Ky. 

E.  T.  Afflec, 

170th  Nat.  G., 

Bridgeport,  O. 

E.  A.  Abbott, 

2d  O.  Vet.  Vols., 

Olmsted  Falls,  O. 

Count  S.  Braiday, 

2d  N.  J.  Cav., 

Vienna,  Austria. 

A.  Bulow, 

3d  N.  J.  Cav. 

J.  H.  Bryan, 

184th  Pa.  Vols., 

ITarrisburg,  Pa. 

C.  W.  Baldwin, 

2d  N.  J.  Vols., 

New  York  City. 

APPENDIX. 


•    Names. 

Regiment,  or  Command. 

Residence. 

H.  E.  Barker, 

22d  X.  Y.  Cav. 

C.  H.  Bigley, 

82d  X.  Y.  Vols. 

M.  Burns, 

13th  X.  Y.  Cav. 

C.  A.  Brown, 

1st  N.  Y.  Artillery. 

W.  R.  Bosford, 

1st  X.  Y.  Vols. 

J.  L.  Barton, 

49th  Pa.  Vols. 

W.  Buchanan, 

70th  X.  Y.  Vols., 

Echoes,  X.  Y. 

W.  Blane, 

43d  X.  Y.  Vols., 

Albany,  X.  Y. 

J.  H.  Briston, 

1st  Conn.  Cav. 

H.  H.  Bixby, 

9th  Me.  Vois., 

Norridgewock,  Me. 

D.  AY.  Burkholder, 

7th  Pa.  Vols., 

Shippensburg,  Pa* 

S.  Brum, 

81st  111.  Vols. 

W.  H.  Brady, 

2d  Del.  Vols., 

Wilmington,  Del. 

J.  Breon, 

148th  Pa.  Vols., 

Potters  Mills,  Pa. 

G.  M.  Burnett, 

4th  Ind.  Cav., 

Terre  Haute,  Ind. 

W.  J.  Boyd, 

6th  Mich.  Cav. 

S.  "W.  Burrows, 

1st  X.  Y.  Vet.  Cav. 

M.  Blickenhoff, 

42d  X.  Y.  Vols., 

New  York  City. 

H.  Buckley, 

4th  X.  H.  Vol3. 

A.  T.  Barnea, 

111.  Vet.  Vols. 

J.  L.  Beasley, 

81st  111.  Vols., 

Fredonia,  111. 

A.  Barringer, 

44th  X.  Y.  Vols., 

Nassau,  N.  Y. 

E.  P.  Bishop, 

4th  Tenn.  Cav. 

C.  T.  Bowen, 

4th  R.  I.  Vols., 

Wickford,  R.  I. 

Wm.  Batemau, 

9th  Mich.  Cav., 

Ypsilanti,  Mich. 

Win.  Baird, 

23d  U.  S.  C.  T., 

North  Rome,  Pa. 

J.  X.  Biller, 

2d  Pa.  Artillery, 

Martinsburg,  W.  Va, 

F.  S.  Bowley, 

30th  U.  S.  C.  T., 

Worcester,  Mass. 

C.  Boettger, 

2d  Md.  Vols., 

Baltimore,  Md. 

W.  A.  Barnard, 

20th  Mich.  Vols.,x 

Lansing,  Mich. 

Win.  Blasse, 

43d  X.  Y.  Vols., 

Albany,  X.  Y. 

C.  O.  Brown, 

31st  Me.  Vols., 

Moro,  Me. 

K.  K.  Beecham, 

23d  U.  S.  C.  T., 

Sun  Prairie,  Mo. 

A.  M.  Brisco, 

Cole's  Md.  Cav., 

Baltimore,  Md. 

H.  M.  Bearce, 

32d  Me.  Vols., 

West  Minot,  Me. 

A.  J.  Braidy, 

64th  Pa.  Vols. 

C.  A.  Bell, 

A.D.  C. 

R.  Burton, 

9th  X.  Y.  Artillery. 

H.  E.  Beebee, 

22d  X.  Y.  Cav. 

V,  L.  Coffin, 

31st  Me.  Vols., 

Harrington,  Me. 

APPENDIX. 


389 


L.  A.  Campbell, 
C.  W.  Carr, 
J.  Cunningham; 
C.  Coslett, 
K.  Cooper,   . 
C.  H.  Craw-ford, 
S,  O.  Cromack, 
H.  Correll, 

C.  II.  Cutter, 
G.  W.  Creacy, 
R.  H.  Chute, 
H.  M.  Cross, 
II.  A.Chapin, 
W.  Chahill, 
J.  L.  Casler, 
H.  Chisman, 
H.  Cribben, 
G.  M.  Curtis, 
J.  S.  Caldwell, 
S.  Crossley, 
L.  B.  Carlisle, 
J.  T.  Codington, 
W.  H.  Curtis, 
J.  W.  Clark, 

J.  H.  Clark, 

D.  L.  Case,  Jr., 
J.  D.  Cope, 

J.  W.  Core, 
W.  J.  Colter, 
J.  Casey, 
W.  H.  Carter, 
J.  L.  Chittendon, 
W.  H.  Canney, 
W.  F.  Campbell, 
J.  F.  Cameron, 
IE.  Clegg, 
IE.  11.  Chase, 
W.  11.  Conover, 
B.  F.  Califf, 
D.  B.  Chubbuck, 


Pcgiment,  or  Command. 

Residence. 

152d  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Cherry  Valley,  N.  T 

4th  Vt.  Vols. 

7th  Pa.  R.  C., 

Leesport,  Pa. 

115th  Pa.  Vols., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

7th  NW.  Vols., 

Jersey  City,  N.  J. 

188th  Pa.  Vols., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

77th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Bennington,  Vt. 

2d  Vt.  Vols., 

New  Haven,  Vt. 

95th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Boston,  Mass. 

35th  Mass.  Vols., 

Newburyport,  Mass. 

59th  Mass.  Vols., 

Chelsea,  Mass. 

59th  Mass.  Vols., 

Newburyport,  Mass.  - 

95th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

76th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Solon,  N.  T. 

76th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Otsegq,  N.  Y. 

7th  Ind.  Vols., 

Cincinnati,  O. 

140th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Rochester,  N.  Y. 

140th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Rochester,  N.  Y. 

16th  111.  Cav., 

Chicago,  111. 

118th  Pa.  Vols., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

14.5th  Pa.  Vols., 

Suthersburg,  Pa. 

8th  Iowa  Cav., 

Dubuque,  la. 

19th  Mass.  Vols., 

Randolph,  Mass. 

59th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Butler,  O. 

1st  Mass.  Artillery, 

Boston,  Mass. 

102d  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Lansing,  Mich. 

116th  Pa.  Vols., 

Uniontown,  Pa. 

6th  W.  Va.  Cav. 

15th  Mass.  Vols., 

Clinton,  Mass. 

45th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Tuckahoe,  N.  Y". 

5th  Pa.  R.  C.,   • 

Elimsport,  Pa. 

6th  Ind.  Cav., 

Knoxville,  Tenn. 

69th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

New  York  City. 

5  1st  Pa.  Vols., 

Slifer,  Pa. 

5th  Pa.  Cav., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

5th  Ind.  Cav. 

1st  Vt.  Heavy  Artillery 

Guilford  Centre,  Vt« 

22d  N.  Y.  Cav., 

Norwich,  N.  Y. 

Salem,  Mass 

19th  Mass.  Vols. 


16* 


390 


APPENDIX, 


Names. 

Regiment,  or  Command. 

Residence. 

31.  Cunningham, 

42d  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Norwich,  Conn. 

A.  M.  Charters, 

17th  Iowa  Vola., 

Leavenworth,  K'ns'a, 

W.  A.  Copeland, 

10th  Mich.  Vola. 

T.  Clemmens, 

13th  111.  Vols. 

W.  C.  Cook, 

9th  Mich.  Cav., 

Tecumseh,  Mich. 

C.  P.  Cramer, 

21st  N.  Y.  Cav., 

West  Troy,  N.  Y. 

Geo.  Corum, 

2d  Ky.  Cav., 

Greenupsburg,  Pa. 

M.  B.  Case, 

23d  U.  S.  C.  T., 

Ottawona,  Minn. 

IX  J.  Cline, 

75th  O.  V.  31.  1., 

Logan  Hocking,  O. 

C/G.  Conn, 

1st  M.  S.  S. 

M.  Cunningham, 

1st  Vt.  Heavy  Artillery. 

H.  L.  Clark, 

2d  Mass.  Artillery, 

Rochester,  N.  Y. 

C.  D.  Copeland, 

58th  Pa.  Vols., 

Fall  River,  Mass. 

C.  P.  Cashell, 

12th  Pa.  Cav. 

J.  R.  Channel!, 

1st  111.  Artillery, 

Ottawa,  111. 

W.  S.  Damrell, 

13th  Mass.  Vols., 

Boston,  Mass. 

W.  G.  Davis, 

27th  Mass.  Vols. 

S.  V.  Dean, 

145th  Pa.  Vols., 

West  Springfield,  Pa, 

J.  S.  Drennan, 

1st  Vt.  Artillery, 

Morrisville,  Vt. 

J.  Dunn, 

64th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

New  York  City. 

A.  J.  Dunning, 

7th  N.  Y.  Artillery. 

J.  Donovan, 

2d  N.  J.  Vols., 

Elizabeth,  N.  J. 

E.  B.  Dyer, 

1st  Conn.  Cav., 

Derby,  Conn. 

W.  C.  Dorris, 

llth  111.  Vols. 

H.  G.  Dodge, 

2d  Pa.  Cav., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

C.  Downs, 

aid  N.  J.  Vols., 

Patterson,  N.  J. 

J.  Duren, 

5th  N.  H;  Vols., 

Keene,  N.  H. 

W.  H.  Dorfee, 

5th  R.  I.  Vols., 

Newport,  R.  I. 

G.  Durboyue, 

66th  N.  Y. 

W.  H.  Diffenbach, 

7th  Pa.  R.  C., 

Huntingdon,  Pa. 

R.  DeLay, 

4th  Iowa  Cav., 

Centerville,  Iowa. 

O.  W.  Demmick, 

llth  N.  H.  Vols., 

Strafford,  Vt. 

L.  Dick, 

72d  O.  Vols., 

Fremont,  O. 

E.  Dickerson, 

44th  Wis.  Vols. 

D.  Driscoll, 

24th  Mo.  Vols., 

Cannonsburg,  Mich. 

H.  G.  Dorr, 

4th  Mass.  Cav., 

Boston,  Mass. 

J.  M.  Drake, 

9th  N.  J.  Vols., 

Trenton,  N.  J. 

H.  A.  Downing, 

31st  U.  S.  C.  T., 

Poughkeepsie,  N.  1« 

J.  W.  Davidson, 

95th  O.  Vols., 

Big  Plains,  O. 

G.  H.  Drew, 

9th  N.  H.  Vols., 

Milford,  X  ^ 

APPENDIX. 


391 


Names. 

Regiment,  or  Command. 

Residence. 

Chas.  Everett, 

70th  O.  Vols., 

Cleveland,  O. 

P.  R.  Eastman, 

2d  Pa.  Cav., 

Mt.  Clemens,  Mich. 

J.  L.  F.  Elkin, 

IstN.  J.  Vols., 

New  Brunswick,  N.  J 

J.  W.  Eyestone, 

13th  Ind.  Vols., 

Washington,  la. 

T.  E.  Evans, 

52d  Pa.  Vols., 

Hyde  Park,  Pa. 

T.  K.  Eckings,* 

3d  N.  J.  Vols. 

John  Eagan, 

1st  U.  S.  Artillery. 

John  Elder, 

8th  Ind.  Vols. 

J.  Fairbanks, 

72d  O.  Vols., 

Rollersville,  O. 

G.  E.  Finney, 

19th  Ind.  Vols., 

Elizabeth,  Ind. 

J.  M.  Ferris, 

3d  Mich.  Vols. 

E.  M.  Faye, 

42d  N.  Y.  Vols., 

New  York  City. 

J.  Furgeson, 

1st  N.  j.  vois., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

D.  Flannery, 

4th  N.  J.  Vols., 

Trenton,  N.  J. 

H.  M.  Fowler, 

15th  N.  J.  Vols., 

Newark,  N.  J. 

G.  W.  Fluger, 

llth  Pa.  R.  C., 

Butler,  Pa. 

C.  A.  Fagan, 

llth  Pa.  R.  C., 

Ebensburg,  Pa. 

H.  French, 

3d  Vt.  Vols., 

Hartford,  Vt. 

L.  W.  Fisher, 

4th  Vt.  Vols., 

Danville,  Vt. 

S.  Fatzer, 

108th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Rochester,  N.  Y. 

E.  Fontaine, 

7th  Pa.  R.  C., 

Washington,  D.  C. 

D.  Forney, 

30th  O.  Vols., 

Coshocton,  O. 

S.  Fisher, 

93d  Ind.  Vols. 

D.  S.  Finney, 

14th  111.  Vols., 

Beardstown,  111. 

D.  Fitzpatrick, 

14Gth  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

L.  D.  C.  Fales, 

H.  C.  Foster, 

23d  Ind.  Vols., 

Jeffersonville,  Ind, 

John  Foley, 

59th  Mass.  Vols., 

Boston,  Mass. 

Louis  Faas, 

14th  N.  Y.  Artillery, 

Attica,  N.  Y. 

K.  J.  Frost, 

9th  Mich.  Cav., 

Albion,  Mich. 

G.  J.  George, 

40th  111.  Vols. 

T.  M.  Gunn, 

21st  Ky.  Vols., 

Shelbyville,  Ky. 

J.  Gottshell, 

S5th  Pa.  Vols. 

J.  M.  Goodown, 

12th  Ind.  Vols., 

Fort  Wayne,  Ind. 

H.  D.  Grant, 

117th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

J.  A.  Goodwin, 

1st  Mass.  Cav., 

Medford,  Mass. 

C.  M.  Granger, 

88th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

C.  O.  Gordon, 

1st  Me.  Cav., 

Phillips,  Me. 

J.  W.  Goss, 

1st  Mass.  Artillery, 

Ipswich,  Mass. 

M.  M.  Gordon, 

143<1  Pa.  Vols., 

Shickshinny,  Pa. 

392 


APPENDIX. 


Names. 

Regiment,  or  Command. 

Residence. 

J.  Gallagher, 

4th  O.  Vets., 

Brookfield,  Vt. 

E.  A.  Green, 

81st  111.  Vols. 

T.  Griffin, 

55th  U.  S.  C.  T., 

Pulaski,  111. 

M.  L.  Godley, 

17th  Iowa  Vols., 

Ashland,  Iowa. 

Philip  Grey,   • 

72dPa.Vols. 

A.  M.  Hall, 

9th  Minn.  Vols. 

E.R.Hart,- 

1st  Vt.  Artillery, 

Danvers,  Mass. 

J.  F.Hodge, 

65th  Pa.  Vols. 

R.  F.  Hall, 

75th  O.  Vols., 

Cincinnati,  O. 

J.  T.  Haight, 

8th  Iowa  Cav., 

Tipton,  Iowa. 

G.  W.  Hill, 

7th  Mich.  Cav., 

Detroit,  Mich. 

E.  J.  Hazel, 

6th  Pa.  Cav., 

Baltimore,  Md. 

R.  Herbert, 

60th  Pa.  Vols., 

Lebanon,  Pa. 

S.  H.  Horton, 

101st  Pa.  Vols. 

W.  B.  Hurd, 

17th  Mich.  Cav., 

Jackson,  Mich. 

E.  Holder, 

1st  Vt.  Cav., 

Barre,  Vt. 

S.  P.  Hedges, 

112th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Jamestown,  N.  Y. 

H.  C.  Hinds, 

102d  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Richfield  Sp'gs,  N.  Y. 

J.  Hopper, 

2d  N.  Y.  Cav., 

Scranton,  Pa. 

C.  O.  Hunt, 

5th  Me.  Battery. 

W.  E.  Holland, 

6th  Md.  Cav. 

G.  N.  Hull, 

13th  O.  Vols. 

D.  W.  Hazelton, 

22d  !NT.  Y.  Cav., 

Peterboro',  N.  Y. 

C.  P.  Holaham, 

19th  Pa.  Cav., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

G.  L.  Hastings, 

24th  N.  Y.  Battery, 

Albany,  N.  Y. 

H.  N.  Hamilton, 

59th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Belleville,  O. 

E.  S.  Huntington, 

llth  U.  S.  Infantry. 

W.  H.  Hoyt, 

IGth  Iowa  Vols., 

Camanche,  Iowa. 

R.  M.  Hughes, 

14th  111.  Cav., 

Vandalia,  111. 

J.  Hewitt, 

105th  Pa.  Vols. 

J.  Heston, 

4th  N.  J.  Vols., 

Sing  Sing,  N.  Y. 

J.  Heffelfinger, 

7th  Pa.  V.  R.  C., 

Mechanicsbu-rg,  Pa. 

J.  L.  Harvey, 

2d  Pa.  Artillery, 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

H.  V.  Hadley, 

7th  Ind.  Vols., 

Indianapolis,  Ind. 

M.  V.  B.  Hallett, 

2d  Pa.  Cav., 

Osceola,  Pa. 

A.  J.  Henry, 

120th  111.  Vols. 

V.  G.  Hoalladay, 

2d  Ind.  Cav., 

Wintersett,  Ind. 

JD.  Havens, 

85th  111.  Vols., 

Manito,  111. 

C.  A.  Hays, 

llth  Pa.  Vols., 

Eagle,  Pa. 

J.  L.  Hastings, 

7th  Pa.  V.  R.  C., 

Salona,  Pa. 

APPENDIX. 


393 


Names. 

Regiment,  or  Command. 

Residence. 

J.  W.  Harris, 

2d  Ind.  Cav., 

Terre  Haute,  Ind. 

P.  Uerzberg, 

66th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

New  York  City. 

E.  H.  Higley, 

1st  Vt.  Cav., 

Castleton,  Vt. 

W.H.  Hendryks, 

llth  Mich.  Battery. 

J.  Huston, 

95th  O.  Vols., 

Clayhi.ck,  O. 

R.  Henderson, 

1st  Mass.  Art., 

Lawrence,  Mass. 

A.  N.  Hackett, 

101st  O.  Vols., 

MasiUo'n,-O. 

S.  P.  Hand, 

43d  U.  S.  C.  T., 

Binghamton,  N.  T. 

T.  B.  Hurst, 

7th  Pa.  V.  R.  C.f 

Dillsburg,  Pa. 

Geo.  Hopf, 

2d  Md.  Vols., 

Baltimore,  Md. 

O.  M.  Hill, 

1st  Mo.  Artillery. 

J.  B.  Hogue, 

4th  Pa.  Cav. 

L.  E.  Haywood, 

58th  Mass.  Vols. 

A.  B.  Isham, 

7th  Mich.  Cav., 

Detroit,  Mien. 

H.  A.  Johnson, 

3d  Me.  Vols. 

C.  K.  Johnson, 

1st  Me.  Cav., 

Carmel,  Me. 

G.  W.  Jenkins, 

9th  W.  Va.  Vols., 

Portland,  O. 

J.  C.  Justus, 

2d  Pa.  V.  R.  C., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

J.  W.  Johnson, 

1st  Mass.  Artillery, 

Methuen,  Mass. 

Alfred  Jones, 

50th  Pa.  Vets., 

Reading,  Pa. 

J.  Jacks, 

15th  W.  Va.  Vols. 

P.  Krohn, 

6th  N.  Y.  (5av., 

Oswego,  N.  Y. 

E.  Kendrick, 

10th  N.  J.  Vols., 

New  York  City. 

S.  C.  Kerr, 

125th  O.  Vols., 

Salineville,  O. 

H.  T.  Kendall 

60th  Pa.  Vols., 

Reading,  Pa. 

A.  Kelly, 

126th  O.  Vols., 

Barnesville,  O. 

J.  Keen, 

7th  Pa.  V.  R.  C., 

Bart,  Pa. 

J.  D.  Kennuly, 

8th  O.  Cav.,      * 

Piqua,  O. 

J.  P.  Kempton, 

75th  O.  Vols. 

J.  H.  Kidd, 

1st  Md.  Artillery, 

Port  Deposit,  Md. 

R.  II.  Kendrick, 

25th  Wis.  Vols., 

Potosi,  Wis. 

G.  C.  Kenyon, 

17th  111.  Vols. 

G.  C.  Kidder, 

113th  Pa.  Vols., 

Danton,  111. 

G.  Knox, 

109th  Pa.  Vols., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

J.  M.  Kelly, 

4th  Tenn.  Vols., 

Athens,  Tenn. 

F.  H.  Kempton, 

58th  Mass.  Artillery. 

J.  11.  Kelly, 

1st  Pa.  Cav., 

Patterson,  Pa. 

J.  C.  Knox, 

4th  Ind.  Cav., 

Ladoga,  Ind. 

Abe  King, 

12th  O.  Vols., 

Xenia,  O. 

J.  Keheart 

13th  O.  Vols., 

Russell  Station,  O. 

394 


APPENDIX. 


Names. 

Regiment,  or  Command. 

Residence. 

J.  Kellow, 

2d  Pa.  Artillery, 

Honesdale,  Pa. 

G.  L.  Kibby, 

4th  II.  I.  Vols., 

Providence,  II.  I. 

C-  E.  Lewis, 

1st  N.  Y.  Drag., 

Nunda,  N.  Y. 

J.  B.  Laj-  cock, 

7th  Pa.  V.  K.  C. 

H.  H.  Lymaii, 

147th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Pulaski.N.Y. 

J.  Lyman, 

27th  Mass.  Vols., 

East  Hampton,  Mass 

W.  II.  Larrabee, 

7th  Me.  Vols., 

Portland,  Me. 

A  Lee, 

152d  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Utica,  N.  Y. 

J.  L.  Lynn, 

145th  Pa.  Vols., 

West  Greenville,  Pa. 

E.  De  C.  Loud, 

2d  Pa.  Artillery, 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

IT.  S.  Ludwig, 

53d  Pa.  Vols., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

D.  W.  Lewry, 

2d  Pa.  Artillery. 

J.  O.  Laird, 

35th  U.  S.  Infantry. 

M.  Laird, 

10th  Iowa  Vols., 

Desmoines,  Iowa. 

J.  C.  Luther, 

1st  Pa.  V.  R.  CM 

Ridgeway,  Pa. 

M.  W.  Lemon, 

14th  N.  Y.  Artillery, 

Canton,  N.  Y. 

L.  M.  Lane, 

9th  Minn.  Vols. 

T.  D.  Lamson, 

3d  Ind.  Cav., 

Venny,  Ind. 

A.  Limbard, 

McLaughlin's  Squ., 

Delphos,  O. 

G.  K.  Lawrence, 

2d  N.  Y.  Mounted  Rifles, 

Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

C.  H.  Long, 

5<)th  Mass.  Vols. 

J.  Monaghan, 

C2d  Pa.  Vols., 

New  York  City. 

J.  C.  Mclntosh, 

145th  Pa.  Vols., 

Erie,  Pa, 

F.  W.  Mather, 

7th  N.  Y.  Artillery, 

Albany,  N.  Y. 

P.  B.  Mockrie, 

7th  N.  Y.  Artillery, 

Albany,  N.  Y. 

E.  T.  McCutcheon, 

64th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Gowanda,  N.  Y. 

E.  J.  McWain, 

1st  N.  Y.  Artillery, 

Rochester,  Vt. 

J.  McKage, 

184th  Pa.  Vols., 

Hollidaysburg,  Pa. 

S.  F.  Muffley, 

184th  Pa.  Vols., 

Howard,  Pa. 

H.  F.  Mangus, 

53d  Pa.  Vols., 

Winfield,  Pa. 

J.  McLaughlin, 

53d  Pa.  Vols., 

James  Creek,  Pa. 

W.  A.  McGinnes, 

19th  Mass.  Vols., 

Boston,  Mass. 

A.  D.  Mathews, 

1st  Vt.  Artillery, 

Brownington,  Vt. 

A.  Morse, 

1st  Vt.  Artillery, 

Fayetteville,  Vt. 

J.  II.  Morris, 

4th  Ky.  Vols. 

J.McGeehan, 

146th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

H.  W.  Mitchell, 

J4th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

H.  G.  Mitchell, 

32d  Me.  Vols., 

Portland,  Me. 

J.  C.  McCain, 

9th  Minn.  Vols., 

Logan  sport,  Ind« 

I.  McGuire, 

7th  111.  Vols., 

St.  Charles,  111. 

APPENDIX. 


395 


Names. 

Regiment,  or  Command. 

Kesiden  :e. 

J.  M%.  Miller, 

14th  111.  Cav., 

'  Lincoln,  111. 

H.  Miller, 

17th  Mich.  Vols., 

Detroit,  Mich. 

J.  Murphy, 

69th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Newark,  N.  J. 

J.  Mallison, 

94th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Brandon,  Wis. 

J.  A.  Mullegan, 

4th  Mass.  Cav., 

Biddeford,  Me. 

W.  F.  Mathews, 

1st  Md.  Vols., 

Martinsburg,  W.  Va. 

N.  J.  Menier, 

93d  Ind.  Vols., 

Leopold,  Ind. 

P.  W.  McManus, 

27th  Mass.  Vols., 

Davenport,  Iowa. 

E.  McMahon, 

72d  O.  Vols. 

G.  C.  Morton, 

4th  Ta.  Cav. 

E.  Mather, 

1st  Vt.  Cav., 

Fair  Haven,  Vt. 

C.  McDonald, 

2d  111.  Artillery, 

Tamaroa,  111. 

G.  W.  Mayer, 

37th  Ind.  Vols., 

Lawrenceburg,  Ind. 

J.  McCormick, 

21st  N.  Y.  Cav., 

Troy,  N.  Y. 

A.  J.  Marshland, 

2d  Pa.  Artillery, 

Nicetown,  Pa. 

W.  H.  Mix, 

19th  U.  S.  C.  T., 

Warsaw,  N.  Y. 

T.  J.  Munger, 

37th  Wis.  Vols., 

Madison,  Wis. 

A.  McNure, 

73d  Pa.  Vols., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

J.  D.  Marshall, 

57th  Ohio  Vols., 

Wapakourutta,  O. 

McLane, 

9th  Minn.  Vols. 

W.  McNettervill, 

12th  U.  S.  Infantry. 

C.  Niedenhoffen, 

9th  Minn.  Vols., 

Winona,  Minn. 

A.  Nelson, 

66th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Westchester,  N.  Y. 

J.  B.  Needham, 

4th  Vt.  Vols., 

Shrewsbury,  Vt. 

H.  L.  Noggle, 

2d  U.  S.  Infantry, 

Janesville,  Wis. 

J.  Norwood, 

7Cth  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Slaterville,  N.  Y. 

O.  H.  Nealy, 

llth  U.  S.  Infantry, 

Boston,  Mass. 

W.  Neher, 

7th  Pa.  R.  V.  C., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

A.  Neal, 

5th  Ind.  Cav. 

D.  M.  Nis  wander, 

.  2d  Pa.  Artillery, 

Welch  Run,  Pa. 

H.  J.  Nyman, 

19th  Mich.  Vols. 

W.  R.  Nulland, 

6th  Ind.  Cav., 

Lafayette,  Ind. 

R.  V.  Outcolt, 

135th  0.  Vols. 

J.  0'IIarre, 

7th  N.  Y.  Artillery, 

Cohoes,  N.  Y. 

F  Osborne, 

19th  Mass.  Vols., 

Byfield,  Mass. 

D.  Oliphant, 

35th  N.  J.  Vols. 

E.  O'Shea, 

13th  Pa.  Cav., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

P.  O'Connell, 

55th  Pa.  Vols., 

Johnstown,  Pa. 

J.  Ogden, 

1st  Wis.  Cav., 

Winona,  -Minn. 

G.  C.  Olden, 

112th  111.  Vols. 

396 


APPENDIX. 


Names  . 

Regiment,  or  Command, 

Residence, 

A.  C.  Pichenpaugh, 

6th  W.  Va.  Vols., 

Morgantown,  W.  Va, 

II.  Picquet, 

32d  111.  Vols., 

Olney,  111. 

J.  T.  Parker, 

13th  Iowa  Vols., 

Sigourney,  Iowa. 

G.  M.  Parker, 

45th  111.  Vols.,. 

Carmi,  111. 

J.  S.  Purveance, 

130th  Ind.  Vols., 

Huntington,  Ind., 

E.  B.  Parker, 

1st  Vt.  Artillery. 

A.  Phinney, 

90th  111.  Vols., 

Rockford,  HI. 

W.  M.  Provine, 

84th  111.  Vols., 

Vermont,  111. 

T.  Purcell, 

16th  Iowa  Vols., 

Muscatine,  Iowa. 

W.  H.  Powell, 

2d  111.  Artillery. 

D.  H.  Piffard, 

14th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

New  York  City. 

C.  A.  Price, 

6th  Mich.  Vols., 

Maple  Rapids,  Mich. 

W.  H.  Partridge, 

67th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

H.  H.  Pierce, 

7th  Conn.  Vols., 

Unionville,  Conn. 

G.  W.  Pitt, 

85th  N.  Y.  Vets., 

Short  Tract,  N.  Y. 

D.  S.  Peake, 

85th  N.  Y.  Vets., 

Hinsdale,  N.  Y. 

E.  C.  Pierson, 

85th  N.  Y.  Vets., 

Waterloo,  N.  Y. 

M.  P.  Piersou, 

190th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

LeRoy,  N.  Y. 

A.  P.  Pierson, 

9th  Mich.  Cav., 

D.  Pentzell, 

4th  N.  Y.  Cav. 

J.  G.  Petrey, 

95th  Ohio  Vols., 

London,  O. 

A.  L.  Preston, 

'    8th  Mich.  Cav., 

Mt.  Clemmuns,  Mich, 

G.  Peters, 

9th  N.  J.  Vols., 

Elizabeth,  N.  J. 

J.  H.  Pitt, 

118th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Canton,  N.  Y. 

James  Post, 

149th  Pa.  Vols., 

Shickshinny,  Pa. 

W.  D.  Peck, 

, 

Syracuse,  N.  Y. 

G.  W.  Patterson, 

135th  Ohio  Vols.', 

Alexandria,  O. 

J.  C.  Price, 

75th  Ohio  Vols. 

Z.  Perrin, 

72d  Ohio  Vols., 

Clyde,  O. 

S.  H.  Platt, 

34th  Mass.  Vols., 

Tittsfield,  Mass. 

L.  G.  Porter, 

81st  111.  Vols., 

Tamaroa,  111. 

J.  H.  Palmer, 

12th  Ohio  Vols., 

Ripley,  O. 

W.  A.  Pope, 

18th  Wis.  Vols. 

D.  B.  Pyne, 

3d  Mo.  Vols., 

Alden,  Iowa. 

Worthington  Pierce, 

17th  Vt.  Vols., 

Woodstock,  Vt. 

W.  B.  Phillips, 

2d  Pa.  Artillery, 

Hyde  Park,  Pa. 

C.  O.  Poindexter, 

31st  Me.  Vols., 

Bridgeton,  Me. 

Chas.  A.  Price, 

3d  Mich.  Vols., 

Maple  Rapids,  Mbh. 

M.  Rees, 

72d  Ohio  Vols., 

Rollersville,  O. 

W.  B.  Rose, 

73d  111.  Vols. 

APPENDIX. 


397 


Names. 
J.  M.  Ruger, 
L.  S.  Richards, 
G.  Rieneckar, 
O.  Rahn, 
G.  A.  Rowley, 

B.  E.  Robinson, 
W.  E.  Roach, 
II.  W.  Raymond, 
J.  C.  Rose, 

E.  R.  Roberts, 
J.  H.  Reed, 
J.  M.  Richards, 
H.  Rothe, 
E.  K.  Ramsey, 
L.  H.  Riley, 

C.  H.  Ross, 
A.  Ring, 

T.  "W.  Rathbone, 
C.  L.  Rugg, 
J.  S.  Rice, 
J.  Reode, 
A.  J.  Raynor, 
L.  Rainer, 
J.  S.  Robeson, 
W.  L.  Riley, 
W.  H.  Randall, 
W.  B.  Sturgeon, 
M.  II.  Stover, 
A.  A.  Sweetland, 
E.  B.  Smith, 
C.  Schurr, 
W.  H.  Shofer, 
M.  G.Sargeant, 
C.  H.  Stallman, 
S.  S.  Smythe, 
Geo.  Scott, 

E.  Swift, 

J.  L.  Skinner, 

F.  Stevens, 
C.  Stuart, 


Regiment,  or  Command. 
6?th  Pa.  Vols. 
1st  Vt.  Artillery, 
5th  Pa.  Cav. 
184th  Pa.  Vols., 
2d  U.  S.  Infantry. 
95th  Ohio  Vols., 
49th  N.  Y.  Vols., 
8th  N.  Y.  Artillery, 
120th  IU.  Vols., 
7th  111.  Vols. 
120th  111.  Vols. 
1st  W.  Va.  Vols., 
15th  N.  Y.  Artillery, 
1st  N.  J.  Vols., 
7th  Pa.  V.  R.  C. 
13th  Ind.  Vols., 
12th  Ohio  Vols. 
153d  Ohio  Vols. 
6th  Ind.  Cav., 
13th  Ind.  Vols., 
67th  Mass.  Vols., 
19th  U.  S.  C.  T., 
2d  N.  J.  Cav., 
7th  Tenn.  Cav., 
21st  N.  Y.  Cav., 
1st  Mich.  S.  S., 
107th  Pa.  Vols., 
184th  Pa.  Vols. 
2d  Pa.  Cav. 
1st  Vt.  Artillery, 
7th  N.  Y.  Artillery. 
5th  Pa.  Cav. 
1st  Vt.  Artillery, 
87th  Pa.  Artillery, 
1st  111.  Artillery, 
10th  Ind.  Vols., 
74th  111.  Vols., 
27th  Mass.  Vols., 
190th  Pa.  Vols. 
24th  'T.  Y.  Vols. 


Residence. 
West  Concord,  Vt. 
Duncannon,  Pa. 

Eeynoldsburg,  O. 
Rochester,  N.  Y. 
Elba,  N.  Y. 
Vienna,  IU. 


Wheeling,  W.  Va. 
Alexandria,  Va. 
Pho3nixville,  Pa. 

Zanesville,  O. 


Newport,  Ky. 
Washington,  Iowa. 
Milford,  Mass. 
Ontario,  N.  Y. 
Freehold,  N.  J. 
Iluntington,  Tenn, 
Brighton,  N.  Y. 
Ypsilanti,  Mich. 
Shippensburg,  Pa. 


Newport,  Vt. 


Newport,  Vt. 
York,  Pa. 
Elkhorn,  111. 
Lebanon,  Ind. 
Pecatoimca,  111. 
Amherst,  Masa. 


393 


APPENDIX. 


Names. 

Regiment,  or  Command. 

Residence. 

M.  Shanan, 

14th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

M.  S.  Smith, 

16th  Me.  Vols., 

East  Livermore,  Me. 

E.  Snowwhite, 

7th  Pa.  R.  V.  C., 

Palmyra,  Pa. 

W.  H.  S.  Sweet, 

146th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Utica,  N.  Y. 

J.  R.  Sitler, 

2d  Pa.  Cav., 

Harmonsburg,  Pa. 

A.  L.  Shannon, 

3d  Ind.  Car., 

Hannover,  Ind. 

A.  M.  Smith, 

1st  Tenn.  Cav. 

J.  C.  Smith, 

24th  Ind.  Bat. 

J.  B.  Smith, 

6th  W.  Va.  Cav. 

J.  P.  Smith, 

49th  Pa.  Vols., 

Spring  Mills,  Pa. 

P.  Smith, 

4th  Tenn.  Cav., 

Morristown,  Pa. 

J.  Smith, 

5th  Pa.  Cav. 

S.  B.  Smith, 

30th  U.  S.  C.  T., 

Woodbury,  N.  J. 

W.  Sandon, 

1st  Wis.  Cav., 

Ontario,  Wis. 

J.  G.  Stevens, 

62d  Pa.  Vols. 

Frank  Stevens, 

15th  Pa.  R.  C.  Vols., 

Meadow  Gap,  Pa, 

C.  T.  Swope, 

4th  Ky.  Vols. 

A.  S.  Stewart, 

4th  Ky.  Vols. 

R.  R.  Stewart, 

2d  Cav., 

New  York  City. 

E.  P.  Strickland, 

114th  111.  Vols. 

J.  W.  Stanton, 

6th  Ind.  Cav., 

Carmel,  Ind. 

W.  H.  St.  John, 

5th  Ind.  Cav., 

Greensburg,  Ind. 

F.  E.  Scripture, 

Regtl.  Q.  M. 

A-  B.  Simmons, 

5th  Ind.  Cav., 

Union  City,  Ind. 

H.  P.  Starr, 

22d  N.  Y.  Cav., 

Rochester,  N.  Y. 

B.  Spring, 

75th  Ohio  Vols. 

A.  C.  Stover, 

95th  Ohio  Vols., 

Urbanna,  O. 

C.  P.  Stone, 

1st  Vt.  Cav., 

Brattleboro',  Vt. 

J.  Stebbins, 

77th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

C.  S.  Schwartz, 

2dN.J.Cav., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

J.  Sailor, 

13th  Pa.  Cav., 

Newport,  Pa. 

II.  C.  Smyser, 

2d  Md.  Vols., 

Ashland  Furnace,!  a, 

M.  TV.  Striblings, 

61st  Ohio  Vols., 

Circleville,  O. 

J.  O.  Slout, 

McLaughlin's  Sq.  0.  Cav., 

Wooster,  O. 

M.  N.  Shepstrong, 

60th  Ohio  Vols. 

J.  P.  Sheehan, 

31st  Me.  Vols., 

Dennysville,  Me. 

J.  F.  Slrill, 

28th  U.  S.  C.  T., 

Bloomington,  Ind. 

B.  F.  Stauber, 

.  20th  Pa.  Cav., 

Lewiston,  Pa. 

H.  Schulter, 

43d  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Albany,  N.  Y. 

L.  D.  Seely, 

45th  Pa.  Vols., 

Knoxville,  Pa. 

APPENDIX. 


399 


Names. 

Keyiment,  or  Command. 

Residence. 

T.  D.  Scofield, 

27th  Mich.  Vols. 

C.  B.  Sanders, 

35th  U.  S.  C.  T. 

P.  A.  Simondson, 

23d  U.  S.  C.  T. 

N.  \\.  Sliaefer, 

24th  Ind.  Cav. 

II.  S.  Tainter, 

82d  N.  Y.  Vols. 

D.  Tanner, 

118th  111:  Vols. 

H.  V.  Tompkins, 

59th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

B.  W.  Trout, 

106th  Ta.  Vols., 

Canton,  Pa. 

J.  S.  Tompson, 

10th  Vt.  Vols. 

L.  E.  Tyler, 

1st  Conn.  Car., 

Preston  City,  Conn, 

A.  Timm, 

10th  Iowa  Vols., 

Davenport,  Ind. 

O.  Todd, 

18th  Wis.  Vols., 

Adrian,  Mich. 

A.  W.  Tiffany, 

0th  Minn.  Vols., 

Carver,  Minn. 

J.  Taylor, 

2d  Pa.  K.  C.  Vols. 

D.  W.  Tower, 

17th  Iowa  Vols., 

Farmington,  Iowa. 

F.  Tomeon, 

17th  Iowa  Vols. 

E.  C.  Taw, 

67th  N.  Y.  Vol. 

A.  F.  Tipton, 

8th  Iowa  Cav., 

Elkader,  Iowa. 

David  Turner, 

118th  111.  Vols., 

Warsaw,  111. 

C.  Tobel, 

15th  N.  Y.  Artillery, 

New  York  City. 

J.P.  F.Toby, 

31st  Me.  Vols., 

Machiasport,  Me. 

S.  H.  Tinker, 

03d  Ind.  Vols., 

Allensville,  Ind. 

D.  D.  Von  Valack, 

12th  U.  S.  Infantry. 

D.  Van  Doren, 

72d  Ohio  Vols., 

Fremont,  O. 

C.  Van  Reusalaer, 

148th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Seneca  Falls,  N.  Y. 

W.  C.  Van  Alin, 

45th  Pa.  Vols., 

Fleming,  Pa. 

A.  Von  Bulow, 

3d  N.  J.  Cav., 

New  York  City. 

O.  W.  West, 

1st  N.  Y.  Dragoons, 

Dansville,  X.  Y. 

J.  B.  Warner, 

8th  Mich.  Cav., 

Marshall,  Mich. 

Geo.  Williams, 

8th  Mich.  Cav. 

J.  Winters, 

72d  Ohio  Vols., 

Townsend,  O. 

J.  Warner, 

33d  N.  J.  Void., 

Newark,  N.  J. 

J.  F.  Wheeler, 

149th  N.  Y.  Vols., 

Salina,  N.  Y. 

F.  Watdniann, 

16th  Iowa  Vols., 

Davenport,  Iowa. 

J.  Walker, 

8th  Tenn.  Vols., 

Bull's  Gup,  Tenn. 

T.  A.  Weesner, 

14th  111.  Vols., 

Greenfield,  111. 

D.  J.  West, 

6th  Conn.  Vols., 

Bridgeport,  Conn. 

G.  H.  Wing, 

14th  N.  Y.  Artillery, 

Glens  Falls,  N.  Y. 

C.  W.  Wilcox, 

0th  N.  II.  Vols. 

J.  C.  Wat-sen, 

126th  Ohio  Vols., 

New  Salem,  O. 

400 


APPENDIX. 


Names. 

F.  M.  Woodruff, 
Geo.  Weddle, 
C.  W.  Woodrow, 
H.  H.  Willis, 
J.  Winship, 
R.  Wilson, 
E.  S.  Wilson, 
R.  P.  WUson, 
B.  F.  Whitten, 
J.  W.  Warren, 
D  H.  Warren, 
W.  Williams, 
T.  II.  Ward, 
J.  Wheaton, 

B.  W.  Whittemore, 
H.  A.  Wentworth, 
W.  H.  WUker, 

J.  H.  York, 
A.  Young,* 
W.  JTYoung, 
T.  P.  Young, 
Aaron  Zeigler, 
A.  Zimni, 

C.  Zobel, 


Regiment,  or  Command. 
7Gth  N.  Y.  Vols., 
145th  Ohio  Vols., 
19th  Iowa  Vols., 
40th  N.Y.  Vols.,. 
88th  111.  Vols., 
113th  111.  Vols., 
1st  Mass.  Cav., 
5th  U.  S.  Cav., 
9th  Me.  Vols. 
1st.  Wis.  Cav., 
Ass't  Surgeon  8th  Iowa  Cav. 
8th  Mich.  Cav. 
69th  U.  S.  C.  T., 
69th  U.  S.  C.  T. 
6th  N.  Y.  Cav. 
14th  N.  Y.  Artillery, 
4th  Ohio  Vols., 
63d  Ind.  Vols. 
4th  Pa.  Cav., 
lllth  111.  Vols., 
4th  Ky.  Vols. 
7th  Pa.  R.  C.  Vols., 
15th  Iowa  Vols. 
tfth  N.  Y.  Art. 


Residence. 
Oswego,  IS".  Y. 
Perrysburg,  O. 
Mt.  Pleasant,  Iowa. 
Aurora,  111. 
Chicago,  111. 
Chicago,  111. 
Havana,  Cuba. 
Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Beaver  Dam,  Wis. 
,  Glencoe,  O. 

TTestervUle,  O. 


Randolph,  X.  T. 
Arcadia,  O. 

Newark,  N.  J. 
Xenia,  111. 

Myerstown,  P* 


THE  END, 


YB  37889 


